Hyde Park teams on CGI 'Santa'

Tom Tataranowicz to direct animated feature

By MICHAEL FLEMING

Ashok Amritraj's Hyde Park Entertainment has joined forces with Singapore-based Toonz Entertainment and Gang of 7 Animation to mount "The Life and Adventures of Santa Claus," a CGI-animated feature based on the book by L. Frank Baum.

The film is expected to be ready for holiday 2010 theatrical release.

John Boorman was recently attached to direct a CG adaptation of Baum's "The Wonderful Wizard of Oz."

"Santa Claus" will be the first animated film for Hyde Park. Gang of 7 Animation head Tom Tataranowicz will direct with Rich Arons and Dick Sebast. Tataranowicz wrote the script with Mark Edward Edens.

Production begins in November at the Toonz Animation Studio in India. Hyde Park will distribute internationally and shares domestic rights with G7. The film will be sold at AFM.

Story follows Santa's formative years, including a battle against the heart of evil that establishes the Santa mythology.

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