Recently, we learned that director Paul Greengrass would be helming an adaptation of Stephen King’s sprawling new horror/fantasy novel, Fairy Tale. An unexpected pairing, perhaps, but an exciting one nevertheless! And y’know who agrees? Universal Pictures, who (according to a new report over at Deadline) have won a “heated auction” to release the film under their banner.
Says Deadline:
Studios and streamers were all over this one since Deadline revealed that Greengrass would direct. Key to the deal making at Uni is the strong relationship Greengrass has at the studio and with Universal Filmed Entertainment Group chairman Donna Langley. Greengrass directed the Bourne films and United 93 there, and most recently the Tom Hanks-starrer News of the World at the studio.
For those who’ve not had the pleasure of reading Fairy Tale yet, King’s latest tells the epic story of a 17-year-old kid named Charlie, who finds a mysterious portal on his recently-deceased neighbor’s property that allows him to travel to a parallel world where many surprises, dangers, and warped versions of classic fairy tale characters exist (just wait’ll you see what’s become of the Little Mermaid). It’s a gigantic book, over 650 pages, but it also flies by: Fairy Tale finds King on fire with mischievous creativity. I blew threw that bad boy in a few sittings, it’s a blast (should you be so inclined, you can read my full take on the novel here).
About Greengrass, King says:
“Needless to say, I’m a Paul Greengrass fan and think he’s a wonderful choice for this film.”
So, when will we get to see it? Probably not for a while! The deal Universal closed is for Greengrass “to adapt and direct,” which probably means there’s still a screenplay to be written before casting can begin. Then there’s pre-production, the shoot, the edit – you know how the process works. King fans should probably expect this one a year or two down the road, but rest assured that we’ll keep you informed as further Fairy Tale updates cross our radar. Stay tuned!
