The film adaptation of Paul Pope‘s graphic novel Battling Boy has found a director in Patrick Osborne. You may know Osborne’s most recent work, Feast, the animated short film from the perspective of a puppy that was featured alongside Disney’s Big Hero 6 last year, which netted him an Oscar.

Paul Pope’s ‘Battling Boy’

Pope’s Battling Boy was first published in 2013 but has since developed a strong fan base and drawn impressive reviews. The story is set in Acropolis, a city beset by demons and ravenous monsters after its protector, Haggard West, dies. The thirteen-year old hero, a demigod himself, must become the new hero and protect the city while contending with bureaucratic issues.

Battling Boy spawned two prequels, The Death of Haggard West and The Rise of Aurora West, which follows the story of Haggard West’s daughter. The graphic novels were released in 2013 and 2014 respectively.

Osborne’s credits include Big Hero 6, Wreck-It Ralph, Tangled and The Polar Express. He was also the supervising producer of another Oscar-winning animated short, Paperman.

The project doesn’t include a cast yet, but that should soon change with Osborne taking the reigns as director.

Paramount and Brad Pitt’s Plan B are producing the film together.