Paris-based production company Good Hero has greenlit a sequel to its 2016 animated hit Ballerina (aka Leap!), a family-friendly feature about a 19th century orphan who pursues her dreams of becoming a ballet star in Paris.
Good Hero announced the sequel at the Annecy animated film festival on Monday, saying it was part of a plan to expand the Ballerina franchise across film, television and digital platforms.
Elle Fanning, Dane DeHaan, Nat Wolff, Kate McKinnon and Carly Rae Jepsen headline the English voice cast of the original feature. Set in 1884 Paris, Ballerina tells the story of an orphan girl (Fanning) arriving in the City of Light with a dream to become a dancer at the famed Grand Opera House. Jepsen plays a mysterious cleaner and mentor for the orphan as she struggles to make her way in the world of ballet. The France-Canada production used dance choreography modeled on real performances by ballerina Aurélie Dupont, the former Paris Opera star and one-time artistic director, and fellow dancer Jérémie Bélingard.
The film was a global hit, selling to more than 100 countries and grossing over $120 million at the box office worldwide.
Production on Ballerina 2 begins this month, with Laurent Zeitoun, who wrote the screenplay, directing. Zeitoun and Gregory Ouanhon, co-founders of Good Hero, are producing. Veteran French studio Gaumont returns as both French and international theatrical distributor, with a global release slated for late 2029.
Alongside the sequel, Good Hero said is producing a Ballerina animated TV series, with British writer Andrew Burrell, known for his work on Matt Groening’s Disenchantment and BBC’s EastEnders, serving as series writer. Burrell has previously worked as head writer and script editor on the animated series Sasha and Milo and contributed to the Danger Mouse reboot.
