Chris Butler, who directed Laika’s ParaNorman, is helming Film Five, whose plot is being kept under wraps but is described as a globe-trotting comedy-adventure “bursting with humor, heart and a profound message of acceptance and finding one's place.”

Observers had some doubts about future Laika projects when president and CEO Travis Knight stepped away to direct a live-action Transformers spinoff movie, Bumblebee, for Paramount. But the announcement of the new movie clears those doubts away.

"Our next film represents an evolutionary shift for Laika," Knight said Wednesday in a statement. "It's an exciting bridge to our future. Director Chris Butler and the wizards at Laika have crafted a moving work of art, layered with wit and imagination and soul. Plus it's really, really funny. It's a privilege to partner with Megan and her exceptional team at Annapurna to bring this beautiful original story to the world."