WOLFWALKERS Director Tomm Moore Joins Jim Capobianco’s THE INVENTOR

Tomm Moore, the multiple Oscar nominee and animation filmmaking master behind hits such as ‘The Book of Kells,’ ‘Wolfwakers’ and ‘Song of the Sea,’ has joined the creative team of ‘The Inventor,’ the animated film being directed by Jim Capobianco.

Synopsis: In 1516, rather than paint “pretty” pictures for the Pope, the insatiably curious Leonardo da Vinci is instead searching for the meaning of life itself. This deadly heresy forces Leo to flee Italy with his apprentices and arrive at the court of Francis I, where he proposes to create the “Ideal City”. A city designed to benefit people not control them. However, Leonardo finds his new radical ideas do not please the King’s Mother nor do his endeavors serve the king’s ambitions for power. It is only in the enterprising princess, Marguerite, that Leonardo sees hope for the future. It is with her help that he finds the answer to the ultimate question: “What is the meaning of it all?” The voice cast includes Stephen Fry, Daisy Ridley, Marion Cotillard and Matt Berry.

Moore, who founded Kilkenny-based Cartoon Saloon with Nora Twomey and Paul Young, will direct the 2D sequences of the stop-motion ‘The Inventor,’ working aside frequent collaborator Fabian Erlinghauser.

“Tomm and I have been looking to work together ever since The Secret of Kells and my short film Leonardo played together at film festivals, It is only fitting to collaborate on The Inventor, a film that combines both puppet animation and 2D drawn animation, and will require an exceptional talent like Tomm,” said  Capobianco.  “The grand vision being to make an animated film as if it were helmed by Leonardo da Vinci himself.”

“The response to the announcement of The Inventor has been incredible and the project just keeps growing in stature,” added Fionnuala Jamison, head of Mk2 films. “We couldn’t hope for a more talented director than Tomm Moore for the hand-drawn sequences in the film. Moore’s exquisite fairylike style appeals to children and adults alike and has the richness required to bring Da Vinci’s dreams to the screen in these key sequences.”

The film is a European and American co-production from Foliascope (France), Melusine Productions (Luxembourg), Curiosity Studio (Ireland) and Leo & King (U.S.).