Another live-action adaptation of a childhood favorite is headed your way and this time, Disney is looking to the James Bond franchise for some assistance.
A new report from Deadline alleges that Skyfall and Spectre director Sam Mendes is in talks to helm the latest big screen adaptation of the children’s book James and the Giant Peach by Roald Dahl. The story follows an English orphaned boy who embarks on a journey with seven human-like bugs as a way to escape his cruel aunts.
The 1996 stop-animation version, backed by the dynamic duo of producer Tim Burton and director Henry Selick (who previously teamed up for The Nightmare Before Christmas), remains a cult favorite amongst ‘90s kids despite a dismal box office return—it made less than $30 million in the U.S.
Still, this dark and quirky tale has some life left in it and will see writer-producer Nick Hornby penning the script. You might recognize the name from his most popular works: Brooklyn, About a Boy and An Education.
This is the latest of many Disney projects getting the live-action makeover including Maleficent, Cinderella and The Jungle Book. Next in line is the Beauty and the Beast remake starring Emma Watson and Ewan McGregor, The Little Mermaid with Lin-Manuel Miranda and Cruella starring Emma Stone. Tim Burton is also working on a live-action version of Dumbo, which has PETA already asking him to change the story’s ending and have the floppy-eared circus elephant retire to a sanctuary instead.
Wow, I didn’t realize there were so many remakes in the works. Is anyone fatigued yet?
(via The Playlist, image via Screencap)
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