A new animated film by former Pixar animator, Carlo Vogele will retell the myth of Icarus and the Minotaur with a modern spin.

Based on the myths of Icarus and Daedalus and Theseus and the Minotaur, the family film, simply titled Icarus, will follow the story of an unusual friendship between Icarus and the Minotaur, two characters who do not meet in the original story.

Originally Daedalus, a talented artisan, was commissioned by King Minos to build a Labyrinth to house the Minotaur – the King’s stepson and a bull-human hybrid that feeds on human flesh – and to imprison human sacrifices.

The King starts to fear Daedalus could release the secrets, and so imprisons him and his son Icarus in a tower. The father and son set out to escape with a pair of wings made from wax and feathers, yet Icarus flies too close to the sun, leading the wax to melt and he eventually falls to his death.

Fast forward to the present day, and the modern version will take a slightly different approach, exploring the characters from a younger age, with Icarus and Minotaur becoming friends.

According to reports, the film will be narrated by Zeus, Poseidon, and Aphrodite who will parody modern-day newspaper journalists.

Vogele, who was an animator for seven years with California-based Pixar Animation Studios, initially showcased his concept with a trailer at Cartoon Movie, a festival designed to serve as a pitching and co-production forum in Bordeaux, France.

Behind the animation is Luxembourg-based film studio The Iris Group, and the project is being set up as a co-production between Germany and Belgium.

Icarus is expected to be released in 2019.