Bristol-based independent film and content distribution startup, Underground Slate, has announced the release of The Toymaker’s Key, a “visually immersive independent British motion comic film that blends fantasy storytelling, original music, and cinematic world-building.”
The film will launch with a special premiere screening and live Q&A at Regent Street Cinema on 21 June.
Blending the aesthetics of graphic novels, animation, and cinema, The Toymaker’s Key follows Tommy Hargreaves as he enters a dangerous world of living memories and forgotten creations in search of his missing father. Guided by a mysterious key capable of turning dreams into reality, Tommy must navigate deadly realms and confront a dark General threatening to destroy all hope.
Directed by Andy Turner and Drew Casson, the film explores themes of “family, sacrifice, redemption, and belief in the impossible.”
The graphic novel features script adaptation by Andy Lanning (writer of the Marvel comics that inspired Guardians of the Galaxy) and artwork by Ant Williams (Marvel/DC: Spider-Man, X-Men, Deadpool, Batman) and Conor Boyd (Judge Dredd).
The Toymaker’s Key is directed by Andy Turner and Drew Casson, with original music composed by Desmond Lambert.
Drew Casson led the film’s animation and visual effects, beginning his career in VFX at age 12 and becoming the youngest director to premiere a feature film at the British Film Institute with Hungerford.
Andy Turner is the creator of The Toymaker’s Key and the founder of AT Creates Studio, a multidisciplinary production company specialising in immersive storytelling, motion comics, film, and original IP development.
Desmond Lambert is a composer and music producer with over 25 years of experience, known for his work on global brand campaigns including BMW, FIFA, MINI, and IWC Schaffhausen, as well as broadcast placements on The Grand Tour, Sky Sports, and the BBC.
The film stars UK drum and bass star Harry Shotta as Tommy Hargreaves. Joining the cast is Kele Le Roc as iO, the two-time MOBO Award-winning vocalist. Also starring is The Pussycat Dolls’ Kimberly Wyatt as MaNa.
Harry Shotta said: “The Toymaker’s Key combines music, emotion, fantasy, and visual storytelling in a completely unique way. Tommy Hargreaves is a character driven by hope, pain, and determination, and bringing him to life has been an incredible experience.”
The Toymaker’s Key is an independent British production from AT Creates Studio and distributed by Underground Slate, focused on hand-crafted visuals, music culture, and original storytelling.
“This project was created to prove that independent British cinema can still be fearless, original, and emotionally powerful,” said Tomasz Witkowski, Co-Founder of Underground Slate. “The Toymaker’s Key is more than a film – it’s a fully immersive motion comic experience built from passion, imagination, and collaboration.”
Andy Turner added: “We wanted to create something cinematic and emotionally engaging while honouring classic storytelling and graphic art. Every frame and every world inside The Toymaker’s Key was crafted to transport audiences somewhere completely new.”
The first public screening of The Toymaker’s Key will take place at Regent Street Cinema on 21 June, followed by a live Q&A with Andy Turner, Drew Casson, Harry Shotta, and Desmond Lambert.
The premiere marks the beginning of Underground Slate’s planned rollout across select UK cinemas throughout June.
Jon Creamer
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