LAIKA has acquired the rights to 'Crumble', an original script by Brian Duffield about a couple whose quest to cure an ancient curse takes them on adventures around the world. Duffield will direct the film. Phil Lord, Chris Miller, and Aditya Sood will produce alongside Duffield.

Matt Levin, President of LAIKA Live Action Film & Series, said of Maggioni: “Alex is an incredible executive with impeccable taste, expertise and deep relationships built over decades in the business. And of Locke: “We are thrilled he’ll be bringing his rich and diverse experience, his deep passion for storytelling and his entrepreneurial drive across both our live action film and tv endeavors.”

LAIKA, the studio behind animated films such as Oscar-nominated Coraline, ParaNorman and Kubo and the Two Strings, is making its foray into live-action. The Oregon studio has optioned Seventeen, the upcoming first novel by John Brownlow, with plans to adapt the title as its first live-action production.

LAIKA has named two executives to its expanding live-action division, with Jeremy Kipp Walker joining the company as Executive Vice President of Live-Action Production and Chaz Salembier taking on the role of Creative Vice President, Live-Action Film.

LAIKA's planned expansion into the realm of live-action was furthered on Tuesday, with the announcement that longtime Netflix executive Matt Levin will be joining the studio in the newly created role of President, Live-Action Film & Series.