GKIDS announced today it has acquired the North American distribution rights for the French animated feature Mars Express. The debut film from Jérémie Périn was an official selection at this year’s Cannes and Annecy film festivals, and had its U.S. premiere at the recent Animation Is Film festival in Los Angeles.
“Mars Express is a film we have been excited about for years, since we saw the very first footage,” said GKIDS President David Jesteadt. “This is a timely and provocative story set in one of the greatest animated sci-fi worlds I’ve seen, and we are thrilled to help bring it to North American audiences.”
Prior to crafting this 2D/3D futurist-noir adventure, Périn served as producer and director on various series, such as CO2, Nini Patalo and Socks, and most recently wrote and directed the Lastman series, based on the French comic of the same name. Périn was also involved in the development of The Rabbi’s Cat, which was distributed Stateside by GKIDS.
GKIDS will release Mars Express theatrically in its original French language and a new English dub in 2024, following a domestic release in France this November. The deal was negotiated between Rodney Uhler of GKIDS and Olivier Barbier of MK2 Films.
“MK2 Films is thrilled to initiate this collaboration with GKIDS, one of the best independent distributors for animation in North America. Mars Express couldn’t dream of finding a better home and support from a team fully dedicated to art,” said Barbier, MK2 Films Head of Acquisition.
Synopsis: In 2200, private detective Aline Ruby and her android partner Carlos Rivera are hired by a wealthy businessman to track down a notorious hacker. On Mars, they descend deep into the underbelly of the planet’s capital city where they uncover a darker story of brain farms, corruption, and a missing girl who holds a secret about the robots that threatens to change the face of the universe.
