Culver City, Ca, October06, 2011…Sony Pictures Animation, the studio behind this year’s worldwide hit The Smurfs, continues to advance its development slate with the hiring of veteran animation writer/director Kelly Asbury.  Asbury has been set to write Pooch Cafe for Sony Pictures Animation, it was announced today by Michelle Raimo-Kouyate, president of production for Sony Pictures Animation. Kelly Asbury most recently directed and co-wrote Gnomeo And Juliet and was the co-director of Shredk 2, the highest grossing animated film in U.S. box office history.  Pooch Cafe will be executive produced by Gil Netter, Bridget McMeel, and John Glynn.

“Kelly’s wit and cinematic sensibilitypairs wonderfully with the irreverent characters and wry comedy in the Pooch Cafe comic strip,” says Michelle Raimo-Kouyate. “We’ve been looking for something to do with Kelly, and this was a perfect match.”

The CG-animated feature is based on Paul Gilligan’s popular syndicated comic strip, Pooch Cafe.  The strip stars Poncho, a cheese-loving, squirrel-fearing, toilet-drinking mutt who joins his canine friends at the Pooch Café, a neighborhood hangout where dogs can be dogs — comparing notes on such weighty issues as avoiding baths, zebra-flavored kibble, and the construction of a giant catapult with which to hurl all the Earth’s cats into the Sun. The strip was nominated for the National Cartoonists Society’s Reuben Award for Best Comic Strip in 2008.

Chris Arrant

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