Yes, it’s based on the line of plush monster dolls.
The origins of an Ugly Dolls animated feature date way back to 2011, when Illumination Entertainment scooped up the rights. After several years of silence, STX Entertainment nabbed the property in 2015, and today brings word that a director has come aboard. Variety reports that Robert Rodriguez (Sin City) will direct for STX; it’ll be his very first animated film.
Rodriguez will also produce through Troublemaker Studios.
The Ugly Dolls are set to arrive in theaters on May 10, 2019.
Via Wikipedia, “Uglydoll is a brand based upon a line of plush toys which began as a long distance letter between the creators David Horvath and Sun-Min Kim. The Uglydoll line was launched in January 2001. Uglydolls were awarded the Specialty Toy of the Year award by the Toy Industry Association in 2006.”