Iconic Children's Book That Launched A Series 87 Years Ago Is Being Adapted Into A Movie
The iconic and bestselling children's book Madeline is being adapted for the big screen 28 years after the first film adaptation. Ludwig Bemelmans published Madeline in 1939 and went on to write several sequels, with his grandson, John Bemelmans Marciano, stepping in to continue the series after the original author died in 1962. After releasing animated shorts, TV specials and series, Madeline was adapted as a live-action film in 1998 starring Hatty Jones and Oscar winner Frances McDormand. According to Deadline, Madeline is being turned into an animated film after Sycamore Studios secured the animation rights. The movie, which will be made with the late author's surviving family, is expected to be a musical, with the studio hoping to create a brand-new franchise with movies, TV shows and other licensing opportunities. In a statement, Sycamore Studios CEO Christian McGuigan said that Madeline is "one of the great treasures of children's literature." It's a fan-favorite in several of the executives' homes since their respective families have a total of 15 children under 10. Since Madeline is such a beloved property that spans several generations of fans, the filmmakers of the upcoming adaptation plan to work on the animated movie with the "love and responsibility" that it deserves.
"Between our leadership team, we have 15 kids under the age of ten. In every one of our homes, Madeline is a favorite, as it has been for millions of families around the world for generations."
Bemelmans Marciano expressed his excitement at teaming up with Sycamore Studios to create a new film. He noted that the studio has been very "respectful of the legacy that has been part of our family for nearly nine decades now."
"We are incredibly excited to be working with Sycamore Studios. From the start, they’ve been so respectful of the legacy that has been part of our family for nearly nine decades now. Most important has been their willingness to understand what makes Madeline a timeless character, and not a vessel for the most popular kid trends of the moment."
According to the writer, Sycamore understands what makes Madeline a "timeless character." In other words, Madeline is not being used as a "vessel for the most popular trends of the moment." The books, movies and shows center around a young girl named Madeline and her fellow students at a boarding school in Paris, France. After the original book was published, Bemelmans wrote Madeline's Rescue, Madeline and the Bad Hat, Madeline's Christmas, Madeline and the Gypsies and Madeline in London. His grandson wrote Madeline in America and Other Holiday Tales, Madeline Loves Animals, Madeline Says Merci, Madeline and the Cats of Rome, Madeline at the White House and Madeline and the Old House in Paris. The 1998 film, which was directed by Daisy von Scherler Mayer, earned mixed reviews from both critics (67% on Rotten Tomatoes) and audiences (43%). While some critics called it charming, others called Madeline tedious and pedestrian.
Von Scherler Mayer went on to direct movies like The Guru and Frenemies, and also worked on shows like Bosch, Fear the Walking Dead, The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel, Nurse Jackie, Orange Is the New Black, The Walking Dead and Yellowjackets. On the small screen, an animated TV show based on Madeline aired for three seasons beginning in 1993 and won several awards at the Emmys. The series eventually spawned three animated films that were released from 1999 to 2007. Now Madeline is once again receiving the animation treatment, this time with Sycamore Studios at the helm. It's unknown at this time if the film will be released in theaters or be a streaming exclusive, and a release date has not been announced yet.
Release Date
July 10, 1998
Runtime
89 minutes
Director
Daisy von Scherler Mayer
Writers
Jennifer Flackett
Producers
Allyn Stewart, Pancho Kohner, Stanley R. Jaffe
Nigel Hawthorne
Lord Covington
Ben Daniels
Leopold the Tutor
