Meg LeFauve, the prolific screenwriter whose credits include Inside Out and Captain Marvel – to name but two – has been elected director of Disney’s Gigantic following her extensive work during the development process.
The Hollywood Reporter has the scoop, confirming that LeFauve will now co-direct the 2018 animation in tandem with Nathan Greno in a move that evokes memories of Jennifer Lee’s promotion to co-director on Frozen after she too helped whip the project into shape during its formative years. Speaking of which, songwriters Robert Lopez and Kristen Anderson-Lopez have enlisted for the movie gunning to be the “definitive version of Jack and the Beanstalk” following their contribution to Frozen, with Dorothy McKim on board to produce.
First unveiled at last year’s D23 expo, Gigantic will take place during the Spanish Age of Exploration, a fruitful period for European countries that involved countless journeys overseas in search of foreign lands. That’s simply the context, though, for LeFauve and Greno’s picture will center on Jack, a spirited young adventurer who crosses paths with a female giant called Inma – a female giantess that also happens to be “11 years old, 60 feet tall, fiery, feisty and a lot to control and treats him like a living doll.” Sandwiched in a slate of sequels that includes Toy Story 4, The Incredibles 2 and Cars 3, Gigantic is exciting in and of itself in that it injects a little originality into the House of Mouse’s lineup – even if it is a modern spin on an old classic.
Gigantic has been penciled in for release on November 25, 2018. Next on Meg LeFauve’s calling card is the Brie Larson-fronted Captain Marvel, a script she’ll be penning alongside Guardians of the Galaxy scribe Nicole Perlman.