Announced on Thursday, Naomi Watts is attached to produce/star in Reese Witherspoon‘s adaptation of bestselling Australian book Penguin Bloom. Based on the true story of Cameron Bloom and his family, their lives were forever changed when Bloom’s wife was paralyzed after falling from a balcony, but found hope and healing when they adopted a magpie bird named ‘Penguin’. It was reported that Witherspoon’s production company Pacific Standard optioned the book last week to be developed into a script.
Based on the true story and photographs of Cameron Bloom, New York Times bestselling author Bradley Trevor Grieve collaborated with Bloom to create the book, called Penguin Bloom in Australia and Penguin the Magpie in the US. The Bloom family adopted Penguin in 2013 after finding her injured near their home on the small Australian territory of Norfolk Island. Cameron Bloom, a photographer, began to record Penguin’s daily adventures through photos. In December 2013, he launched the Instagram series “Penguin the Magpie”, which today has over 137,000 followers.
Magpies, commonly thought to be fierce and protective creatures, have often been depicted as such throughout history. But Bloom’s story contradicts just that.
On the Penguin the Magpie website, Naomi Watts is quoted as calling the story,
A unique and remarkable insight into a family dealing with tragedy and finding their way through it with love, courage, and hope.
Reese Witherspoon is not yet attached herself to star, but often acts in films she produces, so she may make an appearance in the film. She can next be seen in the HBO series Big Little Lies, as well as Ava DuVernay’s A Wrinkle in Time. She just wrapped on the film Home Again, also starring Nat Wolff.
Watts can next be seen in the film adaptation of The Glass Castle with Brie Larson and Woody Harrelson, as well as the Netflix thriller series Gypsy.
Watch the book trailer for Penguin Bloom below.
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