CG Feature Project ‘The Last Dodo’ Heads To AFM With Studio 100

Studio 100 Film will introduce its latest animated family feature, The Last Dodo, to buyers and industry professionals at the American Film Market (AFM) this year, underscoring the Santa Monica market’s growing appetite for independent animation.

The colorful CG feature follows Dave, a relentlessly optimistic dodo navigating the perilous streets of 1628 London with the help of a streetwise rat named Eggy. Together, they embark on a high-spirited quest about friendship, courage, and discovering one’s wings, even when the odds are stacked against them.

The film is co-produced by Sydney-based Cheeky Little Media (Kangaroo Beach, Vegesaurs, Kazoops) and U.K. outfit Cantilever Media (The Amazing Maurice). Veteran director Jun Falkenstein (The Tigger Movie) helms the project, with a screenplay by Simon and Tristan Dodd.

Lorena Booth, senior manager of sales and acquisition at Studio 100 Film, said in a release:

What excites me most about this project is how it reimagines the dodo – not as a relic of extinction, but as the beating heart of a hilarious buddy story. Unpredictable, funny, and full of character, it carries a message between the laughs. Full of humor, heart, and a duo nobody saw coming, this film will win audiences over.

Cheeky Little Media chief content officer Patrick Egerton added:

The dodo is such a talismanic creature in our collective imagination. Whether it’s tragedy, comedy, or a bit of both, the dodo always resonates and makes us feel something. That’s what we’ve distilled into Dave, a lead character you will love spending time with on this super funny and heart-stopping adventure for the whole family.

Currently in financing and development, The Last Dodo is set for delivery in 2027. Its unveiling at AFM 2025 signals the continued rise of original animated IP on the indie sales circuit, an area previously dominated by live-action genre fare but now increasingly attracting family buyers worldwide.