Sam Mendes, who helmed the last two James Bond films, is in very early talks to direct Disney’s upcoming live-action “James and the Giant Peach,” a source with knowledge of the film confirmed to TheWrap.
Nick Hornby is also in early talks to write the screenplay.
Disney released an animated version of the 1961 Roald Dahl novel back in 1996, and it made $28.9 million at the box office. That movie was live action for the first 20 minutes, and then it transitioned into stop-motion animation while the title character is inside the peach. Susan Sarandon starred as the main voice actor in the film, which was directed by Henry Selick.
Disney released another Dahl-based film this summer, Steven Spielberg‘s “The BFG,” which was one of the few losers in what has been an epic year for the Mouse House. “The BFG” made only $54 million domestically and $153 million worldwide on an estimated $140 million budget. However, Warner Bros.’ “Charlie and the Chocolate Factory,” based off Dahl’s best-known book, reeled in $206 million at U.S. theaters and $475 million globally when it was released in 2005.
Mendes is coming off directing the latest two 007 installments, “Skyfall” and “Spectre,” although he told a crowd in Wales in May that he was done with the franchise, saying “it’s time for somebody else.”