Marc Anthony lauds Sofia Vergara, joins KOATI, her Latinx Rainforest film

Curated by Screenmancer Staff

LOS ANGELES, CA: It was announced today that Global Icon and Grammy Award-winning artist Marc Anthony and his Magnus Studios team will partner on Sofia Vergara’s animated feature comedy, KOATI.  Produced by Upstairs Animation, Latin WE Productions and Los Hijos de Jack, KOATI follows three unlikely heroes: Nachi, a free-spirited coatí; Xochi, a fearless monarch butterfly, and Pako, a hyperactive glass frog, as they embark on an adventure to stop a wicked coral snake Zaina (Vergara) from destroying their homeland and friends. 

“I am thrilled to join Sofia in a project where for the first time a renowned team of Hispanic producers, music stars, comedians, and actors come together outside of Hollywood to create an animated movie set up in the Latin American rainforests, which I feel is really exciting and long overdue. I will leave no stone unturned on the music being authentic and celebrating the amazing story and message of KOATI. It’s time to show the world, and share what we Latinos have been enjoying for years in a very fun, inspirational film,” Marc Anthony noted.

The project’s soundtrack, executive produced by Anthony and produced by Grammy Award-winning producer and songwriter Julio Reyes Copello, will include 10 original songs performed by some of the most notable names in Latin music and will be released on the Magnus/Sony Music Latin labels and will be distributed by Sony Music Latin worldwide

Vergara said, “KOATI is a beautiful animated film full of fun and exotic characters that will make you laugh and also touch your heart. I couldn’t dream of a better partner than Marc Anthony to bring this project to life with authentic and powerful Latin American music.  Our team is very proud to finally share KOATI with families around the world very soon!” 

A passion project over the past decade, the film was developed by Producer/Creator Anabella Dovarganes-Sosa, Executive Producer/Chief Story Consultant Melissa Escobar and Executive Producer and lead actress, Sofia Vergara. Hailing originally from Venezuela and Colombia, the three long-time partners and entertainment executives will introduce families all over the world to the magical realism of the tropical rainforest featuring the fun and exotic creatures that call it ‘home’. Luis Balaguer (Latin WE) and Felipe Pimiento (Magnus Studios) will also act as Executive Producers. 

Latin American talent runs across the board from the Director Rodrigo Pérez-Castro (story artist on ‘Ferdinand’ and ‘Rio 2’), Production Designer and Visual Development Artist Simón Varela (‘Book of Life’, ‘Finding Nemo’), writer and cultural consultant Ligiah Villalobos (‘Under the Same Moon’, ‘Coco’), and acclaimed producer Julio Reyes Copello, who also composed the film’s score. 

Produced simultaneously in both English and Spanish, the cast includes the voices of Oscar Nominee Adriana Barraza (Babel), Joe Manganiello (Justice League), Eduardo Franco (Stranger Things, Booksmart) and two young World Wildlife Fund (WWF) ambassadors in main roles actors/musicians Evaluna Montaner (Club 57), and Sebastián Villalobos (Soy Luna) amongst other surprise cameos from renowned international actors and musicians.  

Having kept much of the project largely under wraps Timeless Films will be the company in charge of presenting and selling the film to prospective distribution partners.

Follow @koatiofficial on Instagram for updates and more information

Upstairs Animation: With over 20 years of experience, Upstairs is an animation and post-production studio with offices in the USA and Mexico. It’s dedicated to developing and producing content for feature-length films, TV series, digital platforms for clients and partners worldwide.

Latin WE: The top LatinX entertainment company in the world, headed by Luis Balaguer, Sofia Vergara and Melissa Escobar has 25years of experience in talent management, marketing, licensing, entertainment consulting and multi-platform production. It has 400MM+ consumer reach around the globe.

Magnus Studios: Founded by Marc Anthony, Magnus Studios focuses on the development and production of multi-media original content and the creation of original music for film, advertising and TV with its team of award-winning recording artists and composers. Magnus’ clients reach 272.3MM+ fans and followers worldwide.

Timeless Films: Established in 2009, Timeless Films is the only independent production company specializing in the development, production, financing and distribution of animated films worldwide. Founded by industry veteran Ralph Kamp with his two children Rebecca and Gareth, Timeless Films benefits from strong alliances with collaborators which have enabled them to assemble a slate of high-quality films including Dragon Rider, Pets United, Monster Family 1&2, KOATI, Jungle Beat: The Movie and Extinct. Headquartered in London, the company enjoys strategic content partnerships with German production and distribution powerhouse Constantin Film, European broadcaster Sky Cinema and streaming giant Netflix. Visit www.timelessfilms.co.uk.

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