The following is an interview with Chris Callahan on the upcoming live-action / animated hybrid adaptation of his comic book series, The Misplaced, through Coral Studios. In this interview, Fanbase Press Editor-in-Chief Barbra Dillon chats with Callahan about the genesis behind Coral Studios as a production company, what he is most excited to experience with the adaptation process, and more!
Barbra Dillon, Fanbase Press Editor-in-Chief: Your series, The Misplaced, will soon be adapted into a live-action/animation hybrid through the newly launched Coral Studios. For readers who may be unfamiliar, what can you share with us about the premise of The Misplaced?
Chris Callahan: The Misplaced is a story set across two worlds. Victorian Europe and the ethereal afterlife. It follows James, a man who loses his wife during their transition to the afterlife and becomes trapped between life and death. As he searches for her in a dark, surreal world, the narrative delves into their love, loss, and the mysteries of the afterlife—where even the higher powers are unsure why spirits are going missing.
BD: Likewise, what can you share with us about the founding of Coral Studios as a production company, and what made The Misplaced the perfect initial collaboration for the team?
CC: Rich Mori and I, who co-founded Coral Studios, initially planned to make an independent feature film. During one of our meetings, I mentioned I wrote a graphic novel called The Misplaced, that it had sold well and even received an Ignatz nomination for Outstanding Series. While other producers before dismissed it as something that couldn’t be easily adapted, Rich saw its potential as an animated production. This opened up possibilities to retain the unique style of the original work, and with the growing market for animation with mature themes, it seemed like the perfect project to kick off Coral Studios.
BD: How would you describe your shared creative process in adapting your work from the sequential art medium to live action and animation?
CC: It’s been truly amazing, mainly because Rich has put together such a fantastic team. We have Matt Novack, known for Harley Quinn and Miracle Workers, working on the score. Our art director, Ariel, has been key in adapting the book’s designs to fit a TV format. Ryan Kavner, a producer on American Horror Stories and also worked on Agent Carter, is also providing invaluable insights. Everyone has taken what was in the book and contributed to making it even better. My role has been more about laying down the framework and then letting these talented people play in their sandbox.
BD: What are you most excited for viewers to experience with The Misplaced’s world and characters as it finds a home in a new medium?
CC: I’m really excited about the integration of live-action and animation. The afterlife in the story is depicted in a very abstract way, while the real-world elements are sometimes even photographic. Blending these two styles has been a challenge, but thanks to the team, it’s coming together beautifully. We’re shooting some of it like they did with The Mandalorian, using screens on a volume, which allows us to merge live-action and animated sequences seamlessly. The technology we’re using is pretty crazy.
BD: Are there any other projects that you would like to highlight for our readers?
CC: We’ve got eleven IPs in development right now, most of which are comics that your readers might recognize. A couple are comics set to be published soon. We’re also working on a fun ’90s property that we’ll be shopping around, and it might actually hit distribution before The Misplaced. As I kinda mentioned. Given the success of shows like Blue Eye Samurai and Scavengers on Netflix, plus Invincible, there’s a lot of interest in animated storytelling. With animation, you can tell a wider range of stories, and it’s relatively cost-effective. And now with the tools you can leverage, you don’t have to sacrifice artistic integrity. You can create something prestigious aimed at a serious audience. I’m hoping to have a lot more exciting things to share soon.
BD: Lastly, what would you like to tell readers who want to learn more about The Misplaced and Coral Studios?
CC: Coral Studios is on Instagram and Facebook, and we also have a website at coralstudiosanimation.com. You can even contact us through the site if you have any fun projects that you’ve published but haven’t found a home for yet. We’d love to hear from you!
