There are many projects in secret development at Walt Disney Studios at the moment. Some are original; others are based on popular long-standing IPs. We at The DisInsider have gotten details about a project that’s the latter. And, if you’re a child at heart, there’s a chance you may actually already be familiar with it.
Disney is currently gearing up to produce a feature animated film based on the popular children’s book series, “Flat Stanley.” That’s not all!
We can exclusively tell you that Mic Graves has been tapped to direct and co-write the project, which is expected to be a Disney+ original.
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For those who aren’t familiar with Graves’ work, he’s directed two beloved Cartoon Network series, Elliot from Earth and The Amazing World of Gumball. The latter is not to be confused with the revival on Disney+ last year.
One last bit of info we can reveal about the project is that it’s currently in the process of casting a lead.
The description for the role is as follows:
“Male, age 14 to play 14, a good-natured teen starting his freshman year in high school, where he’s desperately trying to distinguish himself from his overachieving brother, Arthur, who graduated from that same school the year before; energetic and impulsive he often acts without forethought, responding to a sudden urge or intuition, which can and does lead to regrettable consequences.”
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The remaining part of the description delves into some of the story’s plot, which revolves around the titular character stumbling upon a mythical artifact known as the “Eye of Odin”, which transforms him forever.
The plot seems to be a bit of a departure from the books, which features Stanley being the older brother instead of Arthur – and which also has him becoming flat as a result of being squashed by a bulletin board. Nevertheless, it appears designed to capture the same humor and fun for its target tween audience.
The series, written by late author Jeff Brown, has sold over a million copies since their release in 1964. Having been translated to French, German, Spanish, Italian, Japanese, and Hebrew, it is one of the most recognizable children’s novels in the world.
Fox previously held the rights to the character and announced an intention to make a feature film in 2014 way before Disney acquired the studio.
Now, it’s unclear when production is set to begin, but it seems likely the project on track to start later this year, ideally for a release date as early as 2027. If successful, it could be yet another popular franchise for at the House of Mouse.
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