Robert Simonds’ aspiring studio, still more than two months away from releasing its first film, has made another grand move and launched a family and animation division.

Uglydoll

The new unit will be geared towards multi-media, multi-platform family franchises and to this end STX Entertainment has signed a deal with Pretty Ugly and its toy brand Uglydoll.

STX anticipates a full-scale animated feature based on the toy and will produce alongside co-producers Gigi Pritzker – an investor in STX – and OddLot.

David Horvath, who co-created Uglydoll with Sun-Min Kim and Pretty Ugly managing partner Drew Matilsky back in 2001, will serve as executive producers.

STX Entertainment chairman of the motion picture group Adam Fogelson and Matilsky announced the deal on Thursday and said they planned to explore future projects together.

The first feature that STX plans to release is Blumhouse psychological thriller The Gift directed by and starring Joel Edgerton on August 7, followed by crime thriller Secret In Their Eyes starring Chiwetel Ejiofor, Nicole Kidman and Julia Roberts on October 23.

STX will release horror film The Boy on January 22 2016 and Civil War action-drama The Free State Of Jones with Matthew McConaughey and Gugu Mbatha-Raw on March 11 next year.