Blab Entertainment
Mackinnon & Saunders and Nihil Declarandum Announce Stop-Motion Feature 'Heads' Targeted for 2029 Release
Manchester‑based stop‑motion studio Mackinnon & Saunders and production house Nihil Declarandum have unveiled a new feature‑length stop‑motion film, Heads. The 80‑minute fantasy‑adventure horror drama is in development and slated for delivery in 2029.
Written and directed by Tiffany Kimmel—known for the short film Everybody Goes to the Hospital—Heads is set in a retro‑futuristic version of Manchester where severed human heads can survive independently of their bodies. In this dystopian society, a powerful corporation persuades poor citizens to sell their heads, a practice that benefits the wealthy. The narrative follows two women whose lives become intertwined as they attempt to reclaim control over their bodies and futures.
Kimmel describes the film as a “dark fantasy” that probes bodily autonomy and inequality through a lens that is “gothic, satirical, absurd yet emotionally grounded.” She adds that the film aims to be visually distinctive and “unapologetically original.”
All stages of production will take place in the Greater Manchester region. Producers estimate the project could generate roughly 120 jobs, most of which will be local. The film’s visual design draws inspiration from Manchester’s industrial past, and the production team includes creator and illustrator Chris Alsop.
The producing team is led by Simon Quinn, Chris Bowden and Martina Silcock. Veteran stop‑motion cinematographer Tristan Oliver—whose credits include Chicken Run, Fantastic Mr. Fox, ParaNorman and several Oscar‑winning collaborations with Aardman and Wes Anderson—has been attached as director of photography.
Mackinnon & Saunders is best known for its character fabrication work on films such as Corpse Bride, Frankenweenie, Fantastic Mr. Fox and Guillermo del Toro’s Pinocchio. More recently the studio contributed animation work to the Netflix series Wednesday, the film Beetlejuice Beetlejuice and the Netflix series The House.
Ian Mackinnon, founder and managing director of Mackinnon & Saunders, said in a statement that “collaboration with creators sits at the heart of everything we do, and we are thrilled to be partnering with the team at Nihil Declarandum to bring the unsettling yet darkly beautiful world of Heads to life.”
Heads marks Mackinnon & Saunders’ first animated feature film. The studio, based in Altrincham in Trafford, Greater Manchester, has a long history of producing puppets for other studios and creating its own animations.
Nihil Declarandum, an integrated production studio and development house, announced the partnership as part of its strategy to expand into feature‑length stop‑motion projects. The company’s involvement is expected to bring additional expertise in fabrication and development.
The film’s target release in 2029 places it among a small group of animated feature films scheduled for that year, according to the list of animated feature films of 2029. While the final release date is tentative, the project’s development timeline indicates that principal photography and animation work are likely to begin in the next few years.
Industry observers note that Heads could become one of the largest stop‑motion productions ever developed in the Greater Manchester region, a claim supported by the projected job creation and the scale of the planned production. The project also highlights the growing interest in stop‑motion animation in the UK, following high‑profile successes such as Chicken Run and Fantastic Mr. Fox.
The film’s premise—severed heads surviving independently—raises questions about bodily autonomy and corporate exploitation, themes that resonate with contemporary social debates. By setting the story in a stylised Manchester, the creators aim to blend local heritage with speculative fiction.
As of now, no distribution partners have been announced, and the film’s budget has not been disclosed. The production team has indicated that all key creative roles are in place and that the project is moving forward with the intention of delivering a feature‑length stop‑motion film that will appeal to both younger and older audiences.
Heads remains in development, with further updates expected as the production progresses toward its 2029 target. The project’s progress will be monitored by industry news outlets and regional media, which will report on milestones such as the start of production, the completion of key animation sequences, and any partnership announcements with distributors or streaming platforms.
In summary, Heads represents a significant collaboration between Mackinnon & Saunders and Nihil Declarandum, bringing together experienced stop‑motion talent and a unique narrative concept set in a stylised Manchester. The film’s development is poised to create local employment, contribute to the UK’s animation industry, and offer a fresh addition to the growing catalog of stop‑motion features slated for release in 2029.
Written and directed by Tiffany Kimmel—known for the short film Everybody Goes to the Hospital—Heads is set in a retro‑futuristic version of Manchester where severed human heads can survive independently of their bodies. In this dystopian society, a powerful corporation persuades poor citizens to sell their heads, a practice that benefits the wealthy. The narrative follows two women whose lives become intertwined as they attempt to reclaim control over their bodies and futures.
Kimmel describes the film as a “dark fantasy” that probes bodily autonomy and inequality through a lens that is “gothic, satirical, absurd yet emotionally grounded.” She adds that the film aims to be visually distinctive and “unapologetically original.”
All stages of production will take place in the Greater Manchester region. Producers estimate the project could generate roughly 120 jobs, most of which will be local. The film’s visual design draws inspiration from Manchester’s industrial past, and the production team includes creator and illustrator Chris Alsop.
The producing team is led by Simon Quinn, Chris Bowden and Martina Silcock. Veteran stop‑motion cinematographer Tristan Oliver—whose credits include Chicken Run, Fantastic Mr. Fox, ParaNorman and several Oscar‑winning collaborations with Aardman and Wes Anderson—has been attached as director of photography.
Mackinnon & Saunders is best known for its character fabrication work on films such as Corpse Bride, Frankenweenie, Fantastic Mr. Fox and Guillermo del Toro’s Pinocchio. More recently the studio contributed animation work to the Netflix series Wednesday, the film Beetlejuice Beetlejuice and the Netflix series The House.
Ian Mackinnon, founder and managing director of Mackinnon & Saunders, said in a statement that “collaboration with creators sits at the heart of everything we do, and we are thrilled to be partnering with the team at Nihil Declarandum to bring the unsettling yet darkly beautiful world of Heads to life.”
Heads marks Mackinnon & Saunders’ first animated feature film. The studio, based in Altrincham in Trafford, Greater Manchester, has a long history of producing puppets for other studios and creating its own animations.
Nihil Declarandum, an integrated production studio and development house, announced the partnership as part of its strategy to expand into feature‑length stop‑motion projects. The company’s involvement is expected to bring additional expertise in fabrication and development.
The film’s target release in 2029 places it among a small group of animated feature films scheduled for that year, according to the list of animated feature films of 2029. While the final release date is tentative, the project’s development timeline indicates that principal photography and animation work are likely to begin in the next few years.
Industry observers note that Heads could become one of the largest stop‑motion productions ever developed in the Greater Manchester region, a claim supported by the projected job creation and the scale of the planned production. The project also highlights the growing interest in stop‑motion animation in the UK, following high‑profile successes such as Chicken Run and Fantastic Mr. Fox.
The film’s premise—severed heads surviving independently—raises questions about bodily autonomy and corporate exploitation, themes that resonate with contemporary social debates. By setting the story in a stylised Manchester, the creators aim to blend local heritage with speculative fiction.
As of now, no distribution partners have been announced, and the film’s budget has not been disclosed. The production team has indicated that all key creative roles are in place and that the project is moving forward with the intention of delivering a feature‑length stop‑motion film that will appeal to both younger and older audiences.
Heads remains in development, with further updates expected as the production progresses toward its 2029 target. The project’s progress will be monitored by industry news outlets and regional media, which will report on milestones such as the start of production, the completion of key animation sequences, and any partnership announcements with distributors or streaming platforms.
In summary, Heads represents a significant collaboration between Mackinnon & Saunders and Nihil Declarandum, bringing together experienced stop‑motion talent and a unique narrative concept set in a stylised Manchester. The film’s development is poised to create local employment, contribute to the UK’s animation industry, and offer a fresh addition to the growing catalog of stop‑motion features slated for release in 2029.
