When Dreamworks animation announced its line-up for the next few years, one of the projects that is yet to be developed is the adaptation of William Joyce’s upcoming book series THE GUARDIANS, the story unites characters every child knows — Santa Claus, the Easter Bunny, the Tooth Fairy, Jack Frost and the Sandman — to defend the world from a Bogeyman-like villain. At that time, the studio has set November 4th, 2011 as the release date and animation and VFX vet Jeff Lnch as the director but now Variety says they’ve got a screenwriter and they’ve kept the same plot but they’ve changed both the release date and the director…
Dreamworks has hired Pulitzer Prize-winning playwright David Lindsay-Abaire to pen the adaptation of THE GUARDIANS, created by William Joyce, who brought us Rolie Polie Olie and Meet the Robinsons
He maybe a big time Pulitzer playwright but I haven’t enjoyed his previous work as a screenwriter, Lindsay-Abaire is the co-screenwriter of Fox’s 2005 animated feature Robots which was based on Joyce’s artwork and he also adapted Inkheart which I thought was anything but magical. He’s also credited as one of the screenwriters of the upcoming SPIDER-MAN 4 which thankfully received a rewrite by Gary Ross.
THE GUARDIANS will now be directed by Peter Ramsey in his feature directorial debut after helming the Halloween TV special spin-off of Monsters Vs. Aliens movie titled Monsters vs. Aliens: Mutant Pumpkins From Outer Space. I know, I didn’t see it either, word has it you’re not missing out.
Joyce will be the co-director of THE GUARDIANS.
The books which will be titled THE GUARDIANS OF CHILDHOOD will be published in 2011 and each one deals with one of the guardians.
The movie is set to open on November 2nd, 2012
