Oct 8, 2024

Kavalia Productions developing “Honey Wars” with “Point Blank” and “Deliverance” director John Boorman.

Irish animation studio Kavaleer Productions has announced development of its first feature film, “The Honey Wars,” based on an idea by legendary filmmaker John Boorman (“Point Blank,” “Deliverance,” “Excalibur,” “Hope and Glory”)

The film was released in the United States in February 2009.

Boorman himself is executive producer and story consultant, and the film is being developed with the support of Screen Ireland/Fiss Eireann's Creative Futures Program. Boorman was instrumental in establishing Screen Ireland's predecessor, the Irish Film Board, in 1981.

The 90-minute family film has been described as a “dark, comedic fantasy” and is based on stories that Buhrman told his own children. The screenplay is by animation industry veterans Alan Keen (“Chicks in Space”) and Andrew Kavanagh (“Boy Girl Dog Cat Mouse Cheese”).

Following is a synopsis from Kavaleer:

“Honey Wars” is a story in which laughter and mischief are intertwined with deeper themes of loss and healing. Hope is a young girl with a special secret: she is a “seer” who can see the invisible threads that connect the magical world to ours. After the death of her mother, Hope struggles to find her footing with her grieving father, Harry, and stumbles upon a bitter conflict between two tribes, the fairies and the elves, rooted in a haunted past.

As Hope navigates her new life and her unique talents, she meets Alfred, a mischievous outcast elf, and Fiona, an outcast elf with a burden of her own. Together, they begin a mission to uncover long-buried truths, repair past wrongs, lay the groundwork for an unthinkable reconciliation, and thwart the machinations of the evil Esmeralda throughout the war-torn magical universe.

“I am so pleased to bring this mythological and magical story to life,” Boorman said in a statement.

Kavanagh, founder and CEO of Kavalea Productions, added, “Working on this film is a dream come true and we couldn't be more honored and excited that this will be our first feature film. Honey Wars combines the expansiveness of The Lord of the Rings with the quirkiness of Coraline, with sharply observed characters, wry humor, and unexpected twists and turns - everything you'd expect from a John Boorman film.”

The project features voice acting by actors Jamie Lee Curtis, Vanessa Kirby, Patrick Stewart, Brendan Gleeson, Richard E. Grant, and Jon Voight.

The Boorman children, including TV host Charlie Boorman, are also supporting the project:

“I am so happy that ‘Honey Wars’ is finally being made into a movie. My father was a great storyteller and told us many stories, but “Honey Wars” between fairies and elves made us laugh and captured our imagination. There is something very special about a father who tells you stories that no one else knows! To my father, a great storyteller, I offer my deepest love.