Apple Original Films is adapting the beloved Jon Agee children’s book Little Santa to the screen and has set Peter Baynton as the director.

Baynton is the Academy Award-winning director behind Apple’s The Boy the Mole, the Fox and the Horse. The animated short took an Oscar in 2023.

The musical comedy adventure will feature original songs from Flight of the Conchords actor and writer Bret McKenzie and a script from Martin Hynes, who co-wrote Toy Story 4.

Little Santa answers the question of how Santa became Santa. The story follows young Santa Claus on an Oz-like trek through the North Pole, meeting and inspiring the offbeat friends who will create Christmas, and remind the world to believe.

The film will be animated by WildBrain, including pre-production by WildBrain’s House of Cool. The film will be directed by Baynton and produced by Julia Pistor. Hynes will also serve as executive producer alongside McKenzie.

Apple Original Films’ expanding offering of animated original films for kids and families also includes Snoopy Unleashed, its first original Peanuts feature film coming soon, as well as the Academy Award-winning animated short The Boy the Mole, the Fox and the Horse, Academy Award-nominee and Annie Award-winning Wolfwalkers, both now streaming on Apple TV.

Earlier this year, Deadline reported that Rental Family director Hikari is set to direct Apple Original Films’ holiday movie Foster the Snowman from Emmy winner Peter Huyck (The Studio) and Jono Matt.

In Foster the Snowman, a couple without kids take an accelerated journey through every parenting milestone when they’re forced to adopt an adorable snowman whose whole magical life will play out in just 72 hours. The movie is produced by Kevin Walsh’s The Walsh Company via his overall deal with Apple Studios, alongside Melvin Mar and Jake Kasdan.