Love Actually director Richard Curtis makes first foray into animation

Two decades after scoring a surprise holiday season global hit with Love Actually (2003), British film-maker Richard Curtis is making a bid to repeat the trick with his first foray into animation.

LONDON -

The 68-year-old writer and director has co-adapted his own trilogy of children's books, and commandeered long-time friend, English singer Ed Sheeran, into contributing an original song to bring That Christmas to the big and small screens.

Featuring the voices of Scottish actor Brian Cox, British actor Bill Nighy and a host of other acting talent, it hits select British cinemas this week before its worldwide release on Netflix from Dec 4.

Curtis, the screenwriter behind box-office successes such as Four Weddings And A Funeral (1994) and Notting Hill (1999), made his directorial debut with Love Actually.

He said his first venture into animated movies was full of surprises, particularly the time-consuming nature of the genre.