CAKE Unveils Kiri and Lou Film

CAKE has revealed that production has begun on a 60-minute Kiri and Lou movie titled Kiri and Lou Rarararara!

The movie will serve as a prequel to the series, telling the story of how Kiri and Lou’s friendship began. It will be available in cinemas and for broadcast in 2026, supported by a merchandise program featuring books, music, softlines and toys.

Kiri and Lou Rarararara! will show how Lou, a kind, purple prehistoric creature with an embarrassingly stretchy trunk, rescued Kiri, an ungrateful little dinosaur, from a flood and taught her how to be a friend. When the two embark on an adventure together, they come to appreciate each other’s special qualities.

The film is being produced by Fiona Copland for Stretchy, written and directed by feature film director Harry Sinclair and voiced by Jemaine Clement (Flight of the Conchords, What We Do In The Shadows) and Olivia Tennet (Power Rangers, The Lord of the Rings). Animation director Antony Elworthy (Pinocchio, Isle of Dogs, Coraline) heads an international team of leading stop-motion animators. It is financed by the New Zealand Film Commission, NZ On Air, Screen Canterbury and Hinterland.

It will be theatrically distributed by Vendetta Films in New Zealand and Australia, with CAKE handling the rest of the world.

“The idea of this film was to make something that’s terrifically entertaining from start to finish, but with a thumping big emotional heart,” Sinclair said. “After writing 104 episodes of the TV series, I know these characters well, and I can promise you Kiri and Lou are dying to go on an extraordinary adventure and see the world and we’re going to want to be along for the ride.”

Ed Galton, CEO at CAKE, added, “We are delighted to see Kiri and Lou’s enchanting world brought to life as a film, offering audiences a heartwarming adventure that will resonate with viewers of all ages.”