Zemeckis Brings Polar Express Style to Measle and the Wrathmonk
Warner Bros. and Robert Zemeckis' ImageMovers have bought the film rights to Ian Ogilvy's yet-to-be-published three book series, MEASLE AND THE WRATHMONK with the intention to turn the story into a "performance capture" animated film like Zemeckis' POLAR EXPRESS, reports VARIETY. Zemeckis, along with ImageMovers partner Jack Rapke and president Bennett Schneir, made the purchase.
Oxford U. Press will publish the first book in Britain this June followed by its release in the States by HarperCollins in August. Ogilvy, who acted in Zemeckis' DEATH BECOMES HER, has finished the second book, MEASLE AND THE DRAGODON, which will hit the U.K. this fall and the U.S. next spring. He is writing the third addition, MEASLE AND THE MALLOCKEE.
The series follows a young boy who goes to live with his uncle a crazy wizard -- after his parents disappear. Before too long, the story has been shrunk down to live as a villager in a toy train set.