PETER AND THE WOLF Short film developed by Bono and Gavin Friday

Max and Cartoon Network are partnering with U2 musician Good and Irish musician and composer Gavin Friday for a remake of the classic Sergei Prokofiev symphony, Peter and the wolf. The short will feature music and narration by Friday, with artwork based on original illustrations by Bono.

The short film, which premieres later this year, transforms Sergei Prokofiev’s symphony into a contemporary work that touches on the themes of growth, loss, courage, transformation and our relationship with nature. The project was originally developed in 2003 by Gavin Friday and Bono in support of the Irish Hospice Foundation, a national charity which supports those coping with dying, dying and grieving.

Peter and the wolf is led by musician and composer Friday who narrates the classic fairy tale reinvented with The Friday Seezer Ensemble performing Prokofiev’s score, newly arranged by Maurice Seezer and Friday.

The artwork seen throughout the film is based on original illustrations by Friday’s longtime friend and collaborator Bono from his book of the same name.

“Featuring a juxtaposition of traditional hand-drawn 2D animation combined with a physical world built on a set, the film follows a grieving 12-year-old Peter who is now in the care of his grandfather after enduring the loss of a parent. After hearing stories of a wolf on the loose, Peter decides to explore the vast meadow and forest nearby to try and find the wolf himself. Along the way he encounters creatures that aid in his search for him as he battles with hunters aiming to win a prize for catching the wolf.

Friday and Bono released a joint statement on the project, saying:

“The messages of vigilance, courage and resilience that were central to the original symphony still echo throughout our interpretation, but we transform a traditional fairy tale into a unique adaptation that also incorporates the themes of loss, redemption and recovery. Our hope is that this Peter and the wolf it becomes a balm for any child coping with loss, as well as exposing and enthralling them into Prokofiev’s beautiful, musical world.

I had the original Peter and the wolf recording to a record when I was a kid, and I’ve seen it on TV too. I loved it so much. I’m also a Bono fan, so I can’t wait to see how this project turns out. It should be released later this year.

via: Deadline