Apple Cadabra – I Shrunk Myself, an animated family adventure that just picked up a worldwide sales partner in Epsilon Film. It’s one of Germany’s most successful children’s book series, and it’s now heading to the big screen with international ambitions.
The film adapts Petronella Applesauce, the German book series known at home as Petronella Apfelmus. The story centers on two children who are magically shrunk into a miniature world. Epsilon Film describes the movie as a blend of fantasy, humor, suspense and adventure, with an emotional core about empathy and overcoming prejudice.
That last part is worth noticing. The shrinking premise is a classic, but the stated themes suggest the tiny world isn’t just a playground. Epsilon says the film explores friendship, courage and belonging. Beyond that, no detailed plot has been released yet.
Alice von Einem, managing director of Epsilon Film, said what grabbed the company was the idea of two children suddenly finding themselves shrunk into Petronella’s enchanted garden and experiencing an entirely new world from a tiny perspective. She called it a highly commercial adventure premise with universal themes.
The Creative Team Behind the Apple Cadabra – I Shrunk Myself
The creative team is a reunion of sorts. Ute von Münchow-Pohl, who directed The Elfkins and Rabbit Academy, co-directs with Felix Schichl. The screenplay comes from Claudio Winter, another Elfkins and Rabbit Academy alum, working with Seraina Nyikos. Character design is by Oliver Kurth, whose credits include Monster Family 2 and Grand Prix of Europe.
Dirk Beinhold and Valentin Greulich produce for Akkord Film, the animation studio behind The Elfkins and Rabbit Academy. The co-production partners are Seru Animation (My Fairy Troublemaker), PFX (The Whalesinger), VAST and JewelLabs Pictures. Tobis Film will handle wide theatrical distribution in Germany.
If you follow European animation, that’s a recognizable crew. Akkord’s previous films aren’t Pixar-scale productions, but they’ve built a steady track record of family-friendly features with real craft behind them.
Epsilon Film will launch international sales at the American Film Market, which runs November 10-15 in Los Angeles. Buyers will get their first look at footage there, and Epsilon will be based at Suite No. 334 of the Fairmont Century Plaza Hotel.
That’s about two weeks from now, which means the first real peek at what this movie looks like could surface soon.
Release Date and Cast of Apple Cadabra
No worldwide release date has been announced. Tobis Film is handling German theaters, but no release window has been shared so far. There’s also no US distributor attached yet, which is the whole point of Epsilon heading to AFM. Sales agents go to these markets to find those partners country by country, so American availability depends on who bites.
No voice cast has been announced either. If an English-language version is made for the US market, who voices Petronella and the kids is an open question. We’ll update when Epsilon says something.
Why This One Is Worth Watching
The “kids get shrunk” genre has been quiet for a while. Honey, I Shrunk the Kids defined it for a generation, and the idea of seeing a backyard as a jungle never really gets old. Animation is arguably the best medium for it, since you can build a miniature world without the budget limits of giant practical sets.
The risk is the usual one for European animated features trying to cross over: the US family animation market is crowded with studio heavyweights, and a film with no recognizable voice cast and no American brand awareness has to win on visuals and word of mouth.
The empathy-and-prejudice theme gives it something beyond the gimmick, and that’s what might set it apart from a standard shrinking romp. The Elfkins and Rabbit Academy found international buyers, so Epsilon is betting on a proven formula rather than a gamble.
Conclusion
If you have young kids, or you’re the type who tracks animation outside the Disney-Pixar-DreamWorks bubble, put this one on your watchlist. The thing to watch is the week of November 10, when AFM coverage should show which territories sign on and whether any footage or a cast announcement leaks out publicly. Apple Cadabra – I Shrunk Myself is going to be the most anticipated animation movie of the year.
