Nacho Libre creatives to adapt Thelma the Unicorn into an animated musical

Last Updated on July 30, 2021

It's been announced that Netflix is teaming with NAPOLEON DYNAMITE and NACHO LIBRE creatives, Jared and Jarusha Hess, to adapt author Aaron Blabey's children’s novel Thelma The Unicorn into an animated musical. The mega-popular streaming network reportedly arrived as the victor of a very heated rights battle for the project, with Jared Hess looking to direct.

Here is the official synopsis for Thelma the Unicorn, courtesy of Scholastic:

Be careful what you wish for . . .

Thelma is an ordinary pony who dreams of being a unicorn. And through a little bit of chance, and a strange dash of pink glitter-coloured fate, her dream comes true! Suddenly Thelma is transformed into a unicorn and becomes an international sensation.

But fame comes with its price. Fans are screaming and crying, and sometimes they chase her home! Is it possible that fame is not all it’s cracked up to be?

In this adorable picture book from Aaron Blabey (creator of Pig the Pug), kids will laugh at Thelma’s transformation from ordinary pony to glitzy unicorn and back to pony, while parents will appreciate the underlying lesson of staying true to oneself.

“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.”

When asked how he felt about his charming story being transformed into an animated musical, Blabey told Deadline: “I’m beyond excited that my beautiful phoney Unicorn is going to sparkle her way onto the screen in a big, glittery Netflix film. Thelma is so ready for her close-up!”

As of this moment, Thelma the Unicorn has sold over 1.6 million copies after being distributed to 14 countries around the world. Blabey and Patrick Hughes of Foundation Media Partners will be the executive producers on the project, which marks the second time that one of Blabey's novels has caused a stir among studios looking to snatch the rights to his work. Currently, Ethan Cohen and DreamWorks Animation are developing BAD GUYS, a story that centers on four "bad guys" – Mr. Wolf, Mr. Shark, Mr. Snake, and Mr. Piranha – who, after growing tired of others screaming and running away from them, decide to become a force for good… despite their affinity for being bad. (Variety)

As rights to the Thelma project has just been sold, it will be some time until we receive any casting updates or trailer reveals. We'll be sure to keep you updated though, as this is sure to be a family crowd-pleaser when Thelma's adventure hits Netflix sometime down the line.