Wilson Coneybeare, creator of the popular YTV show Monster Warriors, is making his feature directorial debut with Gooby, a children’s film shooting in Barrie, ON under his Toronto shingle Coneybeare Stories.

The film, which Coneybeare also penned, features Scottish veteran Robbie Coltrane (the Harry Potter movies) as the voice of the titular space monster — who arrives on Earth as a teddy bear and befriends a lonely young boy, played by Canuck actor Matthew Knight (The Greatest Game Ever Played).

It also stars comic Eugene Levy (American Pie) as the boy’s eccentric teacher, and David James Elliott (JAG) as his father. Gooby is exec produced by Barrie businessman Sab Ravalli, with producers John Calvert (Earth: Final Conflict) and Nicholas Gray (Rent-a-Goalie).

Production coordinator Mark Muise tells Playback Daily the shoot is going ‘very well’ in and around Barrie, adding that the city has been ‘amazingly supportive.’ Following exterior work, the crew will shoot interiors in a yet-to-be determined warehouse, according to Muise, who says the shoot will involve CGI work as well. Gooby is set to wrap at the end of November, with post-production to be done at Toronto’s Deluxe studios and Urban Audio.

Gooby is slated for release next summer through Seville Pictures. Porchlight Entertainment is attached as international distributor.