SNAPSHOT
Lost Ollie is an epic adventure about a lost toy who braves the many dangers of childhood as he searches the countryside to reunite with the boy who lost him; and the story of the boy who lost more than a best friend. It’s a heartwarming tale for the child in us all, remembering those special souls that we’ve lost but who forever changed our lives. The four-part limited series was inspired by the book Ollie’s Odyssey by renowned author and illustrator William Joyce. Lost Ollie is created, written and executive produced by animation designer / filmmaker Shannon Tindle, a character designer and writer from Laika, including for the films Kubo and the Two Strings and Coraline previously. The series is directed by Academy Award Winner Peter Ramsey (of Rise of the Guardians and Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse) who’s also an executive producer. Shawn Levy and Josh Barry executive produce for 21 Laps Ent. along with Emily Morris as co-executive producer. Brandon Oldenburg & Lampton Enochs also executive produce. (synopsis courtesy First Showing)
Oh, my heart!
If you’re a sentimental soul like me, who values artefacts of my past as if they are treasured relics worthy of display alongside dinosaur skeletons and the gilded contents of Tutankhamun, then you will find much to love about upcoming series Lost Ollie.
It tells a heart-tugging story about one lost toy trying to get back to his beloved child who, in turn, and in defiance of everyone around him telling him to grow up – mature yes, but no one should ever lose their inner child’s delight at the special things they love – is trying very hard to find his special friend.
Like the little boy in the four-part limited series, which is based on the book Ollie’s Odyssey by William Joyce, I was bullied mercilessly growing up and part of my coping strategy, even as I got into my teenage years, was to retreat to a kinder, simpler world where everything you ever needed came from your stuffed toys.
I honestly don’t care who thinks that’s sad or immature because that kind of connection to a toy matters, it matters hugely when the world around you is dumping on you from a great height, and I can’t wait to see how this wondrous new series spin its tale of loss and, obviously hopefully, reunion.
The four-part limited series, Lost Ollie, debuts on Netflix on 24 August.