Shoot 'Em Up's Michael Davis is back with a new animated feature film about a surprising subject—the late President Richard Nixon, who was embroiled in political scandals during his time as president. Nixed takes a different approach to the former president in this "mostly" true story, that sees Nixon try to solve the mystery behind who really assassinated President John F. Kennedy. The trailer, which Collider can exclusively reveal ahead of the film's world premiere at Annecy International Animation Film Festival (the world's largest event dedicated to animation) next week, reveals an off-beat adult political cartoon that is reminiscent of the political artwork popularized by Mad Magazine.
What's so impressive about Nixed, is that not only did Davis write and direct the feature, but he also hand-animated the movie entirely by himself over the past four years. The trailer showcases the blend of styles that Davis employs as the story unravels, mixing seemingly filmed footage with animation of Nixon speedily driving along twisting roads, utilizing a wide variety of colors with overly stylized and caricatured versions of iconic political figures from the era. Unlike the assassins trying to kill Nixon, this trailer doesn't miss the mark when showcasing violence, drama, and political intrigue that cast a long shadow over Washington D.C. in the 1970s. It's clear that Davis was inspired by Herblock's editorial cartooning during the Watergate scandal.
Davis tells us that after the 2016 election, he was struck by the idea of creating a modern-day I, Claudius with a whodunit twist, that centered around Nixon solving the mystery of who really killed John F. Kennedy. It seems like his interest in the two former presidents was born out of his unlikely connection to both of them. Davis was classmates with William Ruckelshaus' twin daughters, who was the first person to resign from Nixon's cabinet during the Watergate scandal, and he mowed the lawn for Dr. J. Thornton Boswell, who performed the autopsy on John F. Kennedy. He also told us:
"I've had the best time of my life the past several years. Making Nixed has been the ultimate auteur filmmaking experience. I only had one person to answer to, my investor; otherwise, I had total control — writing, directing, producing, and hand drawing the animation. I taught myself Maya and did all of the CGI myself -- along with learning Final Cut Pro and Pro Tools - I edited the film and helping with the sound design."
Davis plans to launch an NFT campaign later this year to raise funds to hire a star to voice one of the characters, in addition to helping cover distribution costs. It sounds like Nixed has been a source of empowerment for Davis, whose previous live-action features were met with low box office numbers, prompting the creative to pave his own way in the industry, without studio involvement.
Nixed comes in at just under two hours and will premiere at the Annecy International Animation Film Festival on June 14th at 10pm and June 16th at 9pm. Check out the synopsis, some exclusive images, and the trailer below. For more on the film, you can visit the official website.
Richard Nixon solves the mystery of who really assassinated John F. Kennedy in an adult animated political cartoon alternate history epic spanning the years 1958 to 1994 that mixes fact with fiction. Tricky Dick believes the same shadow government that killed JFK is now trying to off him. Nixon sleuths his way through multiple suspects and theories in an attempt to solve the mystery of John F. Kennedy’s slaying to save his own life and save the country. The CIA, The Mob, Texas Oilmen, Anti-Castro Cubans, the Russians, Civil rights foes, LBJ, J. Edgar Hoover, and Lee Harvey Oswald are suspects.
