Continuing its new wave of live-action fairy tale reimaginings, Disney has purchased a spec script by Matt Fogel that aims to bring Prince Charming into the spotlight and reintroduce audiences to a character that has long been a staple of its animated library.
Not much is known about the script, but Variety reports it may be a comedy told from the perspective of the prince’s brother, who never lived up to the family name. Though Richard Madden recently played the part of Charming in Disney’s sumptuous Cinderella adaptation this spring, there’s no reason to assume that this project is related given that the prince has appeared across multiple tales, from Sleeping Beauty to Snow White.
David Hoberman and Todd Lieberman of Mandeville Films/TV and Tripp Vinson are producing the project, which Fogel wrote. This is the scribe’s first big sale – previously, he worked with Phil Lord and Chris Miller as an assistant during the filming of Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs. He’s also worked on the most recent draft of Disney’s Bob: The Musical.
Fogel took the spec out to studios recently and it ignited a bidding war in which Disney ultimately outbid competitors, likely bent on keeping classic fairy tales a hallmark of its upcoming slate. High on the success of Alice in Wonderland, Maleficent and Cinderella, Disney is currently plumbing the depths of its animated classic library for more revisionist or even traditional takes.
In the works are a Beauty and the Beast take starring Emma Watson, an Alice in Wonderland sequel, Peter Pan riff Tink, a Mulan redo and Pinocchio, among others. What’s curious about Prince Charming is that it seems to be a male-led pic in a genre traditionally powered by increasingly strong-willed female role models – how Fogel plans to capture an audience with a take on a character who has always simply been the embodiment of his non-specific name remains to be seen.
Published: Jul 7, 2015 09:54 am