Casper the Friendly Ghost is coming to television!
24.03.2022 - 01:19 / deadline.com
A live-action feature adaptation of Voltron, co-written and to be directed by Red Notice‘s Rawson Marshall Thurber, has sparked a bidding war among both studios and streamers, Deadline can confirm.
Thurber and Ellen Shanman penned the script, which was based on the former’s story. Todd Lieberman and David Hoberman will produce the film alongside Bob Koplar, whose company World Events Productions controls rights to Voltron. Warner Bros., Universal and Amazon are all in competition to land the package, though Netflix—which is home to both Red Notice and the 2016 animated series Voltron: Legendary Defender—is not.
The Voltron franchise is based on multiple Japanese anime series from Toei Animation, including Beast King GoLion. It centers on team of five space explorers who pilot a giant Super Robot of the same name. Voltron aired as an ABC series from 1984-1985, with additional iterations later set up at NBCUniversal, Nicktoons and Netflix, as previously mentioned.
Thurber’s action comedy Red Notice, starring Dwayne Johnson, Ryan Reynolds and Gal Gadot, swiftly topped Netflix’s film chart upon its debut in November of 2021. The director has also previously helmed features including Skyscraper, Central Intelligence, We’re the Millers and Dodgeball: A True Underdog Story, and is spearheading an upcoming Dungeons & Dragons series for eOne, as exec producer, as well as writer and director of the pilot episode.
Whether Voltron will be the next project for Thurber, who also has multiple Red Notice sequels in development, remains unclear. He’s repped by WME and Hansen, Jacobson, Teller; Shanman by UTA, Kaplan / Perrone Entertainment and The Law Hut.
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Casper the Friendly Ghost is coming to television!
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in “a coming-of-age story that explores what it means to be alive,” per a logline.“When a new family arrives in the small town of Eternal Falls, Casper finds himself entangled in a mystery uncovering dark secrets that have been buried for over 100 years,” the logline concludes.“Casper” comes from writer and executive producer Kai Yu Wu (“The Flash,” “Hannibal”).The series is produced by UCP, a division of Universal Studio Group, and Dreamworks Animation.Wu is repped by UTA and Underground.“Casper” was also the name of the 1995 movie starring Christina Ricci that featured the ghost.
Joe Otterson TV ReporterA new live-action series about Casper the Friendly Ghost is in development at Peacock, Variety has learned.The potential series hails from writer and executive producer Kai Yu Wu, with UCP and DreamWorks Animation set to co-produce.The series is described as a horror/adventure show that reimagines the origin of Casper in a coming-of-age story that explores what it means to be alive. When a new family arrives in the small town of Eternal Falls, Casper finds himself entangled in a mystery uncovering dark secrets that have been buried for over 100 years.Wu has previously written for shows such as “Hannibal” at NBC as well as “The Flash” at CW and “Deception” at ABC.
Casper the Friendly Ghost is coming back to television in a brand new incarnation reminiscent of Riverdale‘s darker interpretation of the Archie comics. Peacock is developing Casper, a live-action, horror/adventure series, which reimagines the origin of Casper in a coming-of-age story that explores what it means to be alive.
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“Voltron” has long been a beloved anime property from the 1980s and like “Transformers,” “Gundam,” “Battle of The Planets,” and “Robotech,” is another sci-fi animated series heading towards the big screen with a high-profile feature film in the works. The Hollywood Reporter says that “Red Notice” director Rawson Marshall Thurber is set to helm and co-write a film with the pitch and teaser reel being sent out to multiple studios leading to a bidding war.
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Adam B. Vary Senior Entertainment WriterFor decades, Hollywood has strived — and failed — to assemble the massive robot mecha “Voltron” for a live-action adaptation of the beloved 1980s animated TV series.Now “Red Notice” director Rawson Marshall Thurber hopes he’ll be the one to bring the robot lion arms, legs, and head together.The filmmaker, who also directed Dwayne Johnson films “Skyscraper” and “Central Intelligence,” is attached to direct and co-write a “Voltron” movie in a package that is currently fielding offers from multiple studios.
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