Puppet Masters of ‘Pinocchio’ and ‘Corpse Bride’ Team Up for Grotesque Sci-Fi Feature ‘Heads’
The legendary artisans who crafted the puppets for Guillermo del Toro’s Pinocchio, Wes Anderson’s Fantastic Mr. Fox, and Tim Burton’s Corpse Bride are finally stepping into the co-production spotlight for their very first original feature film.
Mackinnon & Saunders has officially partnered with integrated production studio and development house Nihil Declarandum to develop “Heads,” a darkly satirical, 80-minute stop-motion animated feature film. Crafted specifically for teen and adult audiences, the gothic fantasy adventure horror drama is currently in active development in Greater Manchester, UK, with a projected delivery date of 2029.
A Grotesque Society Built on Self-Sacrifice
Heads is set in a grim, retro-futuristic world where severed human heads are capable of living completely independent of their bodies. Seizing on this bizarre biology, a ruthless, monolithic corporation convinces the impoverished lower classes to decapitate themselves and sell their heads to enrich the wealthy—creating a deeply divided, grotesque society built entirely on systemic inequality and physical self-sacrifice.
The narrative zero-ins on the intersection of two very different women who share an uncanny, mysterious connection. Together, they embark on a high-stakes, surreal crusade to fight the corporate infrastructure and reclaim their bodily autonomy.
A Heavyweight Creative Ensemble
While Altrincham-based Mackinnon & Saunders has spent decades serving as the industry’s premier puppet fabricators for Hollywood’s elite directors, Heads represents a monumental milestone as the studio’s first official animated feature co-production.
To bring the handcrafted world to life using practical effects and tactile puppet design, the studios have assembled a powerhouse creative brain trust:
The film’s distinct, gritty aesthetic draws heavy inspiration from Manchester’s industrial roots and rich history of manufacturing innovation. Because the narrative mirrors a fictionalized version of Manchester itself, the filmmakers have explicitly stated they are seeking regionally authentic voices to cast in the lead vocal roles.
The massive undertaking is expected to become one of the largest stop-motion feature productions ever developed in the North West of England. The production pipeline is projected to generate approximately 120 jobs, with the filmmakers committing to filling more than half of those roles with local talent, regional studios, suppliers, and freelance craftspeople throughout the years-long fabrications.
