The Jim Henson Co. has announced the most recent additions to its feature film development slate and live-action projects based on beloved fantasy titles. The company has acquired the rights to THE BOGGART by novelist Susan Cooper (THE DARK IS RISING), THE DOUBTFUL GUEST, the whimsical classic story by Edward Gorey, and the popular fantasy adventure trilogy MONSTER BLOOD TATTOO by D.M. Cornish. Jim Henson's Creature Shop, the company's visual and special effects division, will bring the myriad fantasy characters and creatures of each film to life using a blend of CG and animatronics. For each project, producing duties will be handled by The Jim Henson Co.'s co-ceos Lisa Henson and Brian Henson, and Jason Lust, the company's svp of feature films.
THE BOGGART, originally published in 1993, tells the story of a family from Toronto who inherits a Scottish castle and all its contents including the gleeful spirit who has been playing tricks on the castle residents for generations. The story is to be developed as a live-action family feature film with Brian Henson (MUPPET CHRISTMAS CAROL, FARSCAPE: THE PEACEKEEPER WARS) attached to direct.
Debuting in 1957, THE DOUBTFUL GUEST is the story of an inexplicable creature that shows up unannounced and unwelcome at a family-owned bed & breakfast. Brad Peyton (EVELYN: THE CUTEST EVIL DEAD GIRL) is attached to direct and Matthew Huffman will write the screenplay.
MONSTER BLOOD TATTOO is a series of three books, FOUNDLING, LAMPLIGHTER and a third untitled novel, that tell an adventure story set in the world of the Half Continent, a magical Victorian realm where an orphaned boy embarks on a perilous quest to become an apprentice to an esteemed line of monster bounty hunters. No writer or director is attached.
Lisa Henson said, "What is exciting to us about these projects is that they are wonderful, unique fantasy stories, each having their own challenges when adapting them for the big screen. We are looking forward to seeing our artists at Jim Henson's Creature Shop bring the Boggart, the Doubtful Guest and the creatures of the Half-Continent to life and to realizing all these great stories in creative and exciting ways that we hope their loyal fans will enjoy."
For more information, visit www.henson.com.
Rick DeMott
Animation World Network
Creator of Rick's Flicks Picks
