Steven Spielberg is reportedly directing acclaimed author Roald Dahl’s children’s book The BFG for DreamWorks.
THR reports that Spielberg has not only thrown his name in the hat, but has signed on to direct the live-action adaptation.
Kathleen Kennedy and Frank Marshall were set to produce the film back in 2011 when DreamWorks acquired the rights, but it was put on hold.
Now that Steven Spielberg has dropped out of American Sniper this past year, his schedule seems to be quite clear. The Academy Award-winning director has not directed a film since the release of Lincoln in 2012, where actor Daniel Day-Lewis received an Oscar for his performance as President Lincoln.
The BFG is a children’s book written by Roald Dahl and was illustrated by Quentin Blake when it was first published in 1982. The book was an expansion of a story told in an earlier book that Dahl also wrote.
Spielberg is known for being passionate about children’s stories, with E.T. being one of his biggest hits. He also recently joined with director Peter Jackson to adapt The Adventures of Tintin, which is intended to be a trilogy and saw its first chapter hit theaters in 2011.
While there has been an animated film adaptation of the book in 1989, Spielberg’s adaptation will be the first live-action take of the children’s book. Are fans of The BFG excited that a live-action adaptation will be hitting the big screen with Spielberg at the helm?
The film adaptation of The BFG is set to hit theaters in 2016.