‘Paddington in Peru’ Writers to Pen AI Animated Feature ‘Critterz’
James Lamont and Jon Foster, best known for their work on “Paddington in Peru,” are reuniting for the AI-animated feature film “Critterz.” The project is an adaptation of the 2023 short film of the same name and is a collaboration between Vertigo Films and Native Foreign.
The feature-length “Critterz,” is set to begin production in April. Lamont and Foster, who have also contributed to the animated series “The Adventures of Paddington” and the Channel 4 comedy “Wasted,” will write the script. The family-friendly adventure aims to expand the world of the “Critterz” characters.
“We’re very excited to be putting storytelling at the heart of this groundbreaking project,” said Lamont and Foster in a statement. “The creative team behind ‘Critterz’ really impressed us with their vision and desire to make a beautiful, compelling and funny family movie.”
The original “Critterz,” released in 2023, was written and directed by Chad Nelson, a creative specialist at OpenAI. The short film was the first to blend visuals generated by OpenAI’s Dall•E with traditional animation, and was shown at multiple film festivals. In early 2025, Native Foreign released “Critterz: Remastered” using OpenAI’s Sora to showcase technological advancements.
James Richardson of Vertigo Films noted the desire to use the feature to “set a new benchmark for generative storytelling pairing human-driven creativity and traditional animation techniques with the latest AI technology.”
Chad Nelson of OpenAI added, “As a creative, I’ve always sought tools that allow me to bring my imagination to life. The AI didn’t replace my vision, it expanded it, helping me dream bigger and move faster. And now, with the rapid advancements made in AI since we launched the original ‘Critterz,’ we can fully realize these lovable characters and achieve our vision more completely.”
Nik Kleverov of Native Foreign said, “We have been touched by how audiences have taken ‘Critterz’ to their hearts and can’t wait to reveal more of their world with the support of our visionary partners at Vertigo Films.”
The feature-length “Critterz” is being produced by Allan Niblo and Richardson for Vertigo, and Kleverov for Native Foreign, alongside Nelson as a consulting producer. Jane Moore is the executive producer for Vertigo.
