Alex Garland has become in his own right one of the main names in the current science fiction movies scene. Since his entring in the filmmaking industry in the early 2000s, he has bee the writer of several titles like Sunshine (2007), Never Let Me Go (2010) or Dredd (2012), writer and director of two amazing films Ex Machina (2014) [read our review] and Annihilation (2018) [read our review], and is currently working on his next project sci-fi thriller Devs. Still he’s found the time to pen the screenplay for a story entering a terrain far from his regular technological science fiction previous works. The Toymaker’s Secret is the name of this tale of fantasy and haunted houses.
With Garland’s intention of merely being the author of the text, TriStar Pictures achieved the rights to produce the movie and they have chosen Paloma Baeza as the person to direct it. For those who don’t know it, Baeza is the wife of Alex Garland, so the project stays in the family. The movie tells the story of an American family who moves into an old Victorian house in London and begins to believe it might be haunted
As Variety reported, TriStar Pictures’ president Hannah Minghella stated “The Toymaker’s Secret is an original movie with such heart and humor and magic that it is sure to become an instant classic for the whole family. We are thrilled to be working with Paloma on her debut feature and with Alex and Andrew [Macdonald, producer] who are both long-time friends and creative partners”. In response to this, Paloma Baeza said “we couldn’t be more delighted to begin this adventure with TriStar. Hannah’s enthusiasm and insight are the perfect fit for an exciting collaboration. This project will join my love of animation with a live-action world, and it’s fantastic to be bringing this story to life” .
Born in London but raised in Mexico City, The Toymaker’s Secret will mark the debut as director of a feature film for Paloma Baeza. She has a wide experience in short films including the multi-awarded animation project Poles Apart (2017), winner of the BAFTA Film Award for Best Short Animation and Annie award for Best Student Film.
