Why this matters:

In 2018, the world was promised a magical, epic animated feature called Escape from Hat, directed by two-time Academy Award nominee Mark Osborne (Kung Fu Panda, The Little Prince). Based on the beloved children’s book by Adam Kline, the film promised a breathtaking fantasy world where good-luck magic rabbits clash with bad-luck black cats in a hidden realm inside a magician's hat.

Tragically, the film fell victim to Hollywood corporate restructuring twice. First, it was abandoned when Disney shut down Blue Sky Studios. Then, after Netflix rescued it, the project was abruptly cancelled during the "Great Netflix Correction" of 2022.

The project is not dead—it is waiting to be found. Production had already commenced, script work was done, and beautiful storyboards and concept art still exist online. We have seen studios like Annapurna Pictures step up to save Nimona, resulting in massive critical acclaim and an Academy Award nomination. We know the audience for high-concept, beautiful, creator-driven animation is massive.

We are calling on independent, visionary studios—such as Annapurna, Laika, Sony Pictures Animation, or DreamWorks—to acquire the rights to Escape from Hat. Don't let years of hard work by brilliant animators vanish into a vault. Let's help Leek the rabbit make his ultimate escape!