Musician, writer and founding member of new wave band Talking Heads, David Byrne has written and produced three original songs for Netflix’s upcoming animated film The Twits, inspired by the characters of Roald Dahl’s Jim and Credenza Twit.
Byrne’s songs are performed by the cast and include ‘We’re Not Like Ev’ryone Else,’ ‘Lullaby,’ and ‘The Problem Is You.’ Byrne is also joined by singer/ songwriter Hayley Williams, of rock band Paramore, on the end title song, ‘Open the Door,’ as co-writers and performers.
“This was a fun project,” said David Byrne. “Like other Roald Dahl books, this one has its share of dreadful characters – this time two of them are front and center. Kids (and adults) love that they can vicariously imagine their own worst impulses played out, harmlessly, in a punky fun story. So when I was approached to write some songs for this movie I immediately said ‘let me give it a try and see if you like what I come up with’. [Director] Phil was wonderfully clear what each song needed to express and what the character was feeling at that moment. I reached out to Hayley Williams to collaborate on the end credits song and we both agreed that it should serve to remind us that there is heart and connection in the story after all the unpleasantness depicted by Mr. and Mrs. Twit. Hayley was inspired by Beesha’s story and came up with some lyric ideas, and I set them to tune and boom.”
“Being a part of this movie is like one pinch-me moment after another,” added Williams. “My favorite Roald Dahl book growing up was The Twits. I’m drawn to learning about twisted characters like Mr. and Mrs. Twit and The Wormwoods from Matilda. The way Phil and Daisy adapted the original story was really exciting to me, as was the animation style. It feels like a cautionary tale – and also a really lovely depiction of chosen family and community, which is one of my favorite topics. I owe David Byrne for pulling me into the music for this. It was so fun and so surreal starting a song from scratch with him.”
The Twits tells the story of Mr. and Mrs. Twit, the meanest, smelliest, nastiest people in the world who also happen to own and operate the most disgusting, most dangerous, most idiotic amusement park in the world, Twitlandia. But when the Twits rise to power in their town, two brave children and a family of magical Muggle-Wumps, are forced to become as tricky as the Twits in order to save the city. A hysterically funny, wild ride of a film (chock-full of the Twits’ beloved tricks – from the Wormy Spaghetti to the Dreaded Shrinks), The Twits is also a story for our times, about the never-ending battle between cruelty and empathy.
The film has been written and directed by Phil Johnston (co-writer and co-director on Ralph Breaks the Internet, co-writer on Zootopia and Wreck-It Ralph), and stars Johnny Vegas and Margo Martindale as the eponymous Mr. & Mrs. Twits.
They’re joined by Maitreyi Ramakrishnan (Freakier Friday), Ryan Lopez (Phineas and Ferb), Emilia Clarke and Natalie Portman, Timothy Simons (Don’t Worry Darling), Nicole Byer (Star Trek: Lower Decks), Jason Mantzoukas (Percy Jackson and the Olympians), Alan Tudyk (Andor), Mark Proksch (What We Do in the Shadows), Rebecca Wisocky (Ghosts), and Charlie Berens (Green and Gold).
The Twits will debut on Netflix on 17 October 2025.
