Stray movie based on the atmospheric video game in the works at Annapurna with Ice Age director

We have news that will make cat owners and gamers purr with anticipation! Stray, the award-winning adventure game from the developers at BlueTwelve Studio, is getting a film adaptation from Annapurna! According to Entertainment Weekly, Annapurna’s Nimona is a significant hit for the studio, and now Annapurna Animation is giving the green light to multiple projects, including a new venture from Nimona co-director Nick Bruno and the Stray movie adaptation from Ice Age director Chris Wedge.

“Lost, alone, and separated from family, a stray cat must untangle an ancient mystery to escape a long-forgotten city,” reads the game’s official synopsis. “Stray is a third-person cat adventure game set amidst the detailed, neon-lit alleys of a decaying cybercity and the murky environments of its seedy underbelly. Roam surroundings high and low, defend against unforeseen threats, and solve the mysteries of this unwelcoming place inhabited by curious droids and dangerous creatures.

See the world through the eyes of a cat and interact with the environment in playful ways. Be stealthy, nimble, silly, and sometimes as annoying as possible with the strange inhabitants of this mysterious world.

Along the way, the cat befriends a small flying drone known only as B-12. With the help of this newfound companion, the duo must find a way out.”

“This is a game that’s all about what makes us human, and there are no humans in it,” Robert Baird, co-lead of Annapurna Animation, told EW. “It’s a buddy comedy about a cat and a robot, and there’s such a hilarious dynamic. So, there’s comedy inherent in this, but there’s not one human being in this movie. I think it’s one of the reasons why the game was incredibly popular, that you are seeing the world through the point of view of an adorable cat. How did they pull that off, and how are we going to pull that off in the movie? We will, even though sometimes it feels impossible, but we know that’s the essence of the game and the key to telling the story.”

Stray was released in 2022 to overwhelming acclaim when the game became a TikTok sensation after users posted videos of their cats interacting with the game. Beyond the online hype, Stray is an adorable, immersive puzzle platformer with personality and atmosphere. It will be interesting to see how Wedge and his team expand the story and whether or not the feline protagonist will have a speaking role. We’ll bring you more details as this project develops.

Are you excited about Annapurna Animation’s Stray movie? Did you play the game when it came out? Let us know in the comments below.