The long in-development film adaptation of Maurice Sendak’s children’s book classic WHERE THE WILD THINGS ARE has been assigned by Universal to director Spike Jonze (ADAPTATION), reported VARIETY. Tom Hanks’ Playtone production house has long been developing the film as a CGI project, but Universal agreed to go live-action upon hearing Jonze’s vision. Originally animation vet Eric Goldberg (ALADDIN) was attached to direct, but he left to go work on LOONEY TUNES: BACK IN ACTION after WILD THINGS seemed to be stalling. First hitting shelves in 1963, the WILD THINGS book follows the mischievous Max after he is sent to his bedroom where he creates a land of mysterious monsters in his mind.