The Whiskers of Meerkat Manor are coming to the big screen.
One of the most popular documentary series in Animal Planet‘s history is getting a feature film adaptation. The title in question is Meerkat Manor, which followed a family of meerkats in South Africa’s Kalahari Desert and debuted to massive ratings back in 2005. The show ran for four seasons and became the highest-rated show in network history, reaching more than 204 million households worldwide.
On Tuesday, Deadline announced that Warner Bros. Pictures Animation is adapting Meerkat Manor into an animated feature film, hoping to capture a success similar to George Miller’s Happy Feet movies. The movie is going to use photorealistic animation to capture the meerkats.
The Green Room’s Seth Green and Tracy Falco are producing the Meerkat Manor movie, while original series creator Caroline Hawkins will executive produce alongside Clare Birks of Oxford Scientific Films.
“As we continue to grow our animated feature film slate, we are excited to bring the beloved Meerkat Manor from WBD’s Animal Planet to the big screen,” said Bill Damaschke, President of Warner Bros Pictures Animation. “Along with our partners Tracy, Seth, OSF and ITV Studios, we look forward to creating a photoreal animated family adventure for the next generation and seeing our meerkat friends make their feature film debut in way they’ve never been seen before.”
“It’s 20 years since we experimented with a wildlife soap opera in a London basement, and now here we are,” Hawkins added. “What greater evidence could there be of the enduring appeal of meerkats? I am sure they would be thrilled at attaining stardom in Hollywood! Warner Bros is the natural home for this movie, and I am delighted to be partnering with Tracy, Seth and Bill whose visionary expertise is second to none.”
“Meerkats have been secondary characters in animated feature films and it’s time they get the star treatment they’ve deserved,” said Green and Falco. “We believe that the heartwarming and entertaining story of Meerkat Manor, replete with all the drama, emotion and humor of the human experience, will resonate with audiences of all ages. We couldn’t be more excited to bring these lovable characters to life in a new and exciting way, with the perfect partners in Bill Damaschke, Pam Abdy, Mike De Luca and Warner Bros Pictures Animation.”
“We are honored to embark on this new adventure with the series’ brilliant creator Caroline Hawkins and Clare Birks to share the magic of Meerkat Manor with the world, both for diehard fans of the global phenomenon series and an entirely new generation of meerkat lovers.”
