Laika‘s live-action feature take of Taylor Jenkins Reid’s bestseller Atmosphere from Captain Marvel filmmakers Anna Boden and Ryan Fleck has seen its global rights scooped up by Black Bear in a competitive situation.
Black Bear is also co-financing the project with Laika and will serve as the pic’s international sales agent. News about the project, which Boden and Fleck adapted, broke in May 2025. Black Bear will also release the movie stateside and in their territories.
Atmosphere is set against the high-stakes world of NASA’s Space Shuttle program in the 1980s. The pic follows Joan, a brilliant young astronaut, and a trail-blazing new generation of astronauts as they prepare for missions where every launch could be their last. As the missions unfold, Joan and fellow astronaut Vanessa forge a bond that will forever shape their lives. But when catastrophe leaves them fighting for survival, they are propelled into an impossible race against time that will test the limits of courage, sacrifice, and love.
Atmosphere is a LAIKA production in association with Circle M+P. LAIKA’s Travis Knight, Matt Levin and Jeremy Kipp Walker; Boden & Fleck; Jenkins Reid, and Brad Mendelsohn of Circle M+P are producers. LAIKA’s Maryse Knight and Zac Locke are executive producers.
“Atmosphere is exactly the kind of bold, ambitious event film Black Bear is passionate about bringing to audiences – an emotionally resonant theatrical experience from visionary filmmakers, anchored by unforgettable characters and breathtaking scale,” said Black Bear’s EVP of Acquisitions Katie Anderson. “Taylor Jenkins Reid is one of the defining storytellers of her generation, and Atmosphere is her most cinematic work yet. Boden & Fleck are among the rare filmmakers capable of delivering blockbuster spectacle without sacrificing emotional intimacy, making them the perfect creative partners to bring this extraordinary story to life. We’re thrilled to partner with them, Circle, and the LAIKA team to deliver an unforgettable theatrical experience for audiences worldwide.”
“From day one, our collaboration with Taylor, Brad, Ryan, and Anna has been anchored in a shared ambition to make a version of Atmosphere that truly demands to be experienced as a major cinematic event,” said Laika’s President of Live Action Films and Series Matt Levin. “We couldn’t ask for a better partner than the world-class team at Black Bear, who share our passion for this story and have the vision, energy and global reach to ensure it reaches audiences around the world on the grandest possible stage.”
Atmosphere joins Black Bear’s growing domestic slate which curates up to 12 releases annually.
LAIKA’s latest film, Wildwood, will be released on October 23, 2026.
Jenkins Reid, whose novels have sold more than 24 million copies worldwide and spurred myriad film and television adaptations.
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