As the dust settles from a multi-studio bidding battle that played out over two weeks, Netflix has won screen rights to the celebrated Aaron Blabey children’s novel Thelma the Unicorn. Jared and Jarusha Hess, whose work includes Napoleon Dynamite and Nacho Libre, have been set to adapt the book into an animated musical family feature. Jared Hess will direct it. Blabey and Patrick Hughes of Foundation Media Partners will be the executive producers.
It’s the second time that a Blabey-authored book has caused a studio stampede, with DreamWorks Animation winning rights to his last one, Bad Guys. Hess last directed Masterminds and episodes of the Will Forte series The Last Man on Earth.
When a rare pink and glitter-filled moment of fate makes Thelma the Pony’s wish of being a unicorn come true, she rises to instant international pop-superstar stardom, but at an unexpected cost. The message of Thelma the Unicorn is about learning to love who you are, even if you don’t have sparkles.
“We are huge fans of Aaron’s work,” said Jared and Jerusha Hess. “The lovable misfits in his books feel right at home for us. It is a dream come true to be collaborating with him and Netflix on an animated feature of Thelma the Unicorn.”
