Talk about an unlikely duo shaking up children’s entertainment. In what might be 2025’s most intriguing musical pairing, Talking Heads legend David Byrne and Paramore’s powerhouse Hayley Williams have joined forces for Netflix’s adaptation of “The Twits” — and the results are delightfully weird in all the right ways.
The animated feature, landing on screens October 17, transforms Roald Dahl’s wickedly fun tale into something entirely fresh. Byrne’s creative fingerprints are all over this one, with three original songs that capture the story’s twisted charm. But it’s the collaboration between Byrne and Williams on the end credits song “Open the Door” that really catches the ear — adding an unexpectedly touching note to all that gleeful nastiness.
“Kids (and adults) love that they can vicariously imagine their own worst impulses played out, harmlessly, in a punky fun story,” Byrne notes, clearly getting a kick out of the material’s darker edges. And who better to bring those edges to life than this particular creative team?
The cast reads like someone’s dream lineup for an animated feature. Never Have I Ever breakout Maitreyi Ramakrishnan takes on Beesha, while Ryan Lopez brings Bubsy to life. Then there’s Johnny Vegas and Margo Martindale absolutely diving into the delicious awfulness of Mr. and Mrs. Twit. Oh, and casual reminder that both Emilia Clarke and Natalie Portman signed on as the Muggle-Wumps — because apparently this project wasn’t star-studded enough already.
Behind the camera (well, technically the rendering software), Phil Johnston — the mind behind “Ralph Breaks the Internet” and “Zootopia” — has expanded the Twits’ world in the most perfectly grotesque way possible. Their new venture? A theme park called Twitlandia, described as “the most disgusting, dangerous, and idiotic amusement park in the world.” Somehow, that feels exactly right for these characters.
For Williams, this project hits close to home. “Being a part of this movie is like one pinch-me moment after another,” she shares, revealing her childhood connection to Dahl’s work. “The Twits was my favorite growing up — there’s something about those twisted characters that just pulls you in.”
The Byrne-Williams collaboration emerged naturally from the story’s themes of community and chosen family. Their end credits song, “Open the Door,” takes inspiration from Ramakrishnan’s character Beesha, who stands as everything the Twits aren’t: kind, empathetic, and probably someone who occasionally washes their face.
Johnston still seems a bit starstruck about the whole thing. “I still can’t quite believe that I spent the last few years collaborating with David Byrne,” he admits, adding with a laugh that it’s been “incredibly fun and surprisingly easy, probably because I’ve been stealing from him for so long.”
With animation handled by Jellyfish Pictures (you know their work from “The Boss Baby” and “The Bad Guys”), and additional voice talent including Nicole Byer, Jason Mantzoukas, and Alan Tudyk, this adaptation feels poised to introduce Dahl’s beloved troublemakers to a whole new generation. The story’s already proven its staying power, with translations in 41 languages and 16 million copies sold worldwide.
Come October, we’ll see just how this peculiar mix of talent transforms one of Dahl’s most delightfully nasty tales. Something says this won’t be your typical family animation — and thank goodness for that.
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