“Hawkeye” director Bertie Ellwood has been tapped to direct “The Last Bear,” the feature adaptation of Hannah Gold’s bestselling, award-winning novel for StudioCanal, the company announced on Monday.
The screenplay was written by “Peter Rabbit 2” writer Patrick Burleigh.
The synopsis for “The Last Bear” is as follows: After the death of her mother, 11-year-old recalcitrant April reluctantly follows her emotionally distant, climate-scientist father on a research trip to a remote Norwegian Island. There, without friends or cell service, she forms a unique relationship with a stranded and injured polar bear. Determined to help her new friend across the melting ice, April takes off on an adventure — one that might not only help save the bear but could also rebuild her heartbroken relationship with her father.
With three million copies in circulation worldwide, “The Last Bear” has been translated into 27 languages and won major accolades, including the Waterstones Children’s Book Prize, the Blue Peter Book Award, and was nominated for the Sakura Medal. The book has since launched a literary franchise with two sequels, including “Finding Bearfurther” expanding the emotionally rich and environmentally conscious universe created by Gold.
ZQ’s Ara Keshishian, Prime Universe Films’ Adrian Askarieh, WexWorks’ Matt Wexler and ZQ’s Petr Jákl set to produce.
StudioCanal will finance, distribute and handle worldwide sales. Ron Halpern, Shana Eddy and Sam Shipp will oversee for StudioCanal.
“I am absolutely thrilled to know that StudioCanal and Bertie Ellwood will take the book to whole new heights,” Gold said in a statement. “’The Last Bear’ is the book of my heart and I am so excited to see it transferred to the screen and win over a new legion of fans.”
Ellwood added: “This is a story of bravery and rescue in every sense—between a girl and a bear, and just as powerfully, between a daughter and her father. It’s raw, hopeful, and exactly the kind of story I believe the world needs right now.”
StudioCanal’s Ron Halpern and Shana Eddy added: “We fell in love with Hannah’s powerful book franchise for its heartwarming story of loss and reconnection as well as its timely environmental message. With Patrick’s exceptional adaptation and Bertie’s singular creative vision, we cannot wait to bring this story to family audiences everywhere.”
Casting for the two key roles of ‘April’ and ‘Edmund’ is underway.
Ellwood is repped by Verve, Range, and The Nord Group. Burleigh is repped by UTA, Kaplan/Perrone and Kopeikin Law.
Variety first reported the news.
