Another quest for cinematic gold is currently being developed as Universal Pictures and Mandeville Films are adapting a new Treasure Island inspired by the 1883 Robert Louis Stevenson novel of the same name. Two-time Oscar nominee Dean DeBlois is currently slated to direct, according to Deadline.
Beauty and the Beast writer Evan Spiliotopoulos will be in charge of compiling the film’s script and will also collaborate with DeBlois on its story. Mandeville Films’ Todd Lieberman and David Hoberman will produce the film as part of DeBlois’ production team. Paramount and Hasbro recently announced that DeBlois would direct their upcoming film Micronauts slated for a June 4, 2021 release date, marking DeBlois’ live-action directorial debut and Treasure Island as his expected follow-up. DeBlois has previously dabbled in animation, with How to Train Your Dragon being his best-known work.
Treasure Island follows the journey of Jim Hawkins, who gets caught in a crossfire between his loyalty to his friends and his bond with pirate Captain Long John Silver as they trail a buried treasure. There has been multiple adaptations of this story, including Walt Disney’s 1950 version with Robert Newton and Bobby Driscoll as well as the recent 2012 adaptation starring Eddie Izzard, Donald Sutherland, and Elijah Wood which was nominated for two Primetime Emmys. Not to mention Disney’s 2002 sci-fi steampunk animated adaptation Treasure Planet.
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