Tale Trio Set for Walden Adaptations
February 6, 2004By CATHY DUNKLEY
Variety
Disney-based production shingle Walden Media has acquired the rights to Newbery Award-winning novel Bridge to Terabithia by Katherine Paterson and Australian author Wendy Orr's award-winning book Nim's Island.
Walden has also inked Todd Alcott (Antz) to pen the adaptation of Lois Lowry's 1994 Newbery winner The Giver. Pic, about a 12-year-old boy living in an idyllic future where all memory of human history has been erased, will be produced by Walden in partnership with Jeff Bridges' AsIs Prods and RCN Entertainment.
Terabithia, the tale of an 11-year-old boy whose life is changed forever when he befriends the class outsider—a girl—will be directed by cartoon maven Gabor Csupo, who produced Rugrats Go Wild! as his first live-action pic. Lauren Levine will produce pic with the author's son, David Paterson. Walden exec Julie Daggett oversees the project.
Island, which chronicles the exploits of a young girl who lives on a tropical island with her scientist father, a sea lion, an iguana and a sea turtle, will be produced by Paul Mazur and adapted by screenwriter Joseph Kwong. Walden's Evan Turner oversees the project.
Both Daggett and Turner report to Alex Schwartz, exec VP of production.
"These three projects are consistent with the overall Walden Media mission to create quality entertainment that engages and enlightens the audience," Walden CEO Cary Granat said.
Added Schwartz: "What links the magical world of 'Terabithia,' the adventure of 'Nim's Island' and the future vision of 'The Giver' is a fantastic proactive child at the center of each story. Like 'Holes' and 'The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe,' we are thrilled at the prospect of bringing three more classic children's novels to the screen and to a whole new audience."
