After helming two back to back James Bond movies, it appears as if Sam Mendes will be heading in a very different direction for his next project. According to The Hollywood Reporter, he’s currently in early talks with Disney to bring a live-action version of James and the Giant Peach, the classic 1961 tale from beloved author Roald Dahl, to the big screen.
The novel was previously adapted into a brilliant stop motion animation in 1996 by Henry Selick, though today’s technology obviously makes it easier to now do so in live-action.
It’s surprising that Disney is moving forward with the movie when you consider the tepid critical and commercial response to Steve Spielberg’s The BFG, but Mendes obviously has some experience with the author’s work after directing the critically acclaimed Charlie and the Chocolate Factory musical (which very nearly stopped him working on Spectre).
The children’s tale follows the adventures of James, an orphaned young British boy. Forced to live with his cruel aunts, James finds a way out of his bleak existence when he discovers an enormous enchanted peach. After rolling into the sea inside the buoyant fruit, James, accompanied by a crew of friendly talking insects, then sets sail for New York City.
