STX Entertainment has announced that the singer Pitbull is joining its UglyDolls franchise and will write and perform a song for the studio’s animated film.
Pitbull will also voice talent to one of the film’s key characters. STX also said Tuesday that it is also eyeing involvement from the entertainer for the studio’s expansive franchise plans across its other platforms where spinoff UglyDoll projects are in development at STXtv, STXdigital and STXsurreal VR.
“Pitbull’s amazing musical creativity and magnetic personality have captivated millions of adoring fans around the world,” Adam Fogelson, chairman of STXfilms, said. “We’re thrilled to collaborate with him, and look forward to showcasing his singular talent as we build the UglyDolls franchise.”
STXfilms will release “UglyDolls” in 2019 as a launch vehicle for the franchise. It has not yet set a specific date.
“It’s truly an honor to have the opportunity to work alongside the STX team and be involved with UglyDolls,” Pitbull said. “The brand takes a fun approach to universal messages no matter color, culture or creed. These are themes I am passionate about, and our team is very excited about this partnership.”
Variety first reported in 2015 that STX had launched a family and animation division with the “UglyDoll” movie as its first project in a deal with Pretty Ugly LLC, the toy company behind the critters. The toys subvert the idea of ugly by turning the adjective into a positive, and include characters such as Wage, Babo, Ice-Bat and Wedgehead.
