Sony Pictures has hired Shana Feste (COUNTRY STRONG) to direct and adapt Carolyn Turgeon's novel MERMAID: A TWIST ON THE CLASSIC TALE, reports Variety. The dark twist on Hans Christian Andersen's THE LITTLE MERMAID follows a princess who tries to bring peace to her kingdom by marrying her kingdom's rival's prince. What she doesn't know is that a mermaid has fallen for the prince as well.

Tobey Maguire's Material Pictures and Jenno Topping are producing. Nick Reimond is shepherding for Material and Andrea Gianetti for Sony.