Warner Bros. are continuing to develop their list of projects based on the works of Dr. Seuss withOh, The Places You’ll Go!being added to their animation movie radar and has linked Jon M. Chu to direct. However those already excited by the prospect may have to prepare to settle down for a long wait as the movie isn’t set to premiere until 2027 - and you thought Marvel liked to plan ahead. The book is one that Warner Bros. has wanted to get into development since 2018 when they began their relationship with the Dr. Seuss Estate, but clearly, they also don’t want to rush it out.
Oh, The Places You’ll Go!was the final bookwritten by Dr. Seuss, whose real name was Theodor Seuss Geisel, and will be translated into “a globetrotting animated musical following a young adventurer as they journey through the joys and heartaches, and the peaks and valleys, of life.” The book is being adapted by Bad Robot Productions with J.J. Abrams acting as producer on the movie, which will be the company’s first animated feature. Bad Robot’s Head of Motion Pictures Hannah Minghella, who previously oversaw Sony’s animation arm, will also produce, and after voicing her desire to expand into animated features with the company it looks like she has not taken too long to get the ball rolling.
Being one of the best-known books of Dr. Seuss, it is always a tricky path to adapt a much-loved work and keep everyone satisfied with the result, but after discussions between WB and Bad Robot, Chu’s name was quickly brought up, and as the director has a good relationship with the studio, a string of succes and has wanted to direct an animated feature for some time now he seems a good choice. Sources have said that it has been on the cards for several years, withJon M. Chueven being part of a handful of creative pods that were put together to work on projects for their Hanna-Barbera and Dr. Seuss material, and even then he wanted to get on board an animated film, so it looks like he is finally getting his chance. With the director being seen to direct his movies with “heart and humanity,” it seems like he could be the best person to take on the challenge.
Chu is in high demand at the moment, and as well as the hugely successful Crazy Rich Asians in his portfolio, the director is also building an impressive list of musical projects, following up the movie adaptation ofIn The Heightswith the upcoming big screen version ofWicked, which recently announcedCynthia Ervio and Ariana Grande as taking the lead roles. He is also director and executive producer on the Apple TV+ seriesHome Before Dark, which is now on its second season.
Theworld of Dr. Seusshas had a lot of success in recent years thanks to a string of hit animated movies beginning withHorton Hears a Whoin 2008,The Loraxin 2012 andThe Grinchin 2018, which brought in over $1 billion at the box office between them and managed to mostly erase the memory of 2003’sThe Cat in the Hatlive-action movie starring Mike Myers, which barely scraped even and was torn down by critics. WithThe Cat in the Hatalso being developed as an animation project, hopefully this time around the results will be better received. This news comes to us fromDeadline.
