Czech animation filmmaker Jan Svankmajer is currently prepping a film adaptation of Karel & Josef Capek’s THE INSECT PLAY, which is in preproduction under the title INSECTS.

Film New Europe reports that INSECTS is still in the very early stages of preparation. Speaking about the project, Svankmajer—who has directed numerous experimental and surrealist shorts as well as the features ALICE, LITTLE OTIK and LUNACY—had this to say about the adaptation: “[INSECTS] will combine dark comedy, grotesque, classic horror genre and both animation and feature acting. Capek’s play is very misanthropic, and I always liked it—bugs behave as human beings, and people behave as insects. It also reminds one a lot of Franz Kafka and his famous METAMORPHOSIS.”

Svankmajer and his longtime producer partner Jaromir Kallista are currently at work on the screenplay and securing funding. They plan to have the film completed by 2015.

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