That starts off well: a real puma runs over a mountain and complains about too many people. Seen like this in the very first “Woodwalkers” scene, and the animal, which articulates itself astonishingly clearly, is of course right: At the world premiere of the youth book adaptation in the Mathäser Filmpalast there are a lot of people there, big and even more small. However, the cougar is on the screen and she is in front of it, so that should actually be enough as a safe distance.
The crowds in the cinema are so great that the film, which will be released nationwide in two weeks, will be shown in several halls at the same time. While adult viewers are still wondering what to make of chattering wild animals in a nature documentary look (“We have to go higher!”), young viewers have long known: the “Woodwalkers” are shape-shifters, so they can transform into people transform – and back into animals.
That is also the premise of the story devised by Katja Brandis, which has so far sold 2.8 million copies in the form of a book series. The dream of being someone else, perhaps even an animal who ignores all school obligations and homework, is not new – but it is still a bookstore hit. It’s almost a logical conclusion that bestsellers should become blockbusters. Brandis, who lives in Olching and is actually called Sylvia Englert, appears on the red carpet in a predatory look (or a wildly patterned blouse) and explains: “The first six books are supposed to become three films.”
And since it always takes so long to make a film, “Woodwalkers 2” is already in the can and should be released in cinemas in a year. A big risk, admits Corinna Mehner: “The first part cost almost 16 million euros.” The Munich-based woman has produced this film, which is unusually expensive not only for children’s films, but she now has to set the pace: there are a lot of young stars on the screen grows too quickly, and so does the target group. The time window in which children want to transform into red squirrels, arctic wolves, bison or pumas is not endless.
The film takes place in a shape-shifting boarding school: If you think of friendship, secrets and Harry Potter, you’re not entirely wrong. The white-blonde Martina Gedeck plays the principal, which makes sense because she can also transform – into a bald eagle. Either way, you can keep track of things. And so that you don’t miss her, the place setting wears a large glittering chain. Couldn’t she remember the acting rule that you should never film with children or animals because they would definitely steal the show? “I’m far too much of a child and animal for that,” replies the actress.
Her colleague Oliver Masucci plays a tech billionaire in the film who has surprising parallels to Tesla boss and Trump buddy Elon Musk. “Yes, there have been more roles like this lately,” he says. Other business bosses are incredibly colorless. Just a few days ago he was seen on television as Deutsche Bank boss Herrhausen: “There are no such people anymore,” claims Masucci. In the film he makes a great antagonist, but at times he also becomes a cougar. The only question that remains is whether there is any predator in Elon Musk.
And then there is Hannah Herzsprung, who unfortunately cannot transform at all. At least not in this film: one of the most versatile actresses of her generation plays an adoptive mother in human form in “Woodwalkers”. “A small but fine role,” she claims on the premiere day in Munich and smiles so enchantingly that you almost believe her. She still has a dream animal, she says: “I would love to be a lion momma.”