Harold and the Purple Crayon (film)

Last updated

Harold and the Purple Crayon
Harold and the purple crayon 2024 Movie Poster.jpg
Teaser poster
Directed by Carlos Saldanha
Screenplay by
  • David Guion
  • Michael Handelman
Based on Harold and the Purple Crayon
by Crockett Johnson
Produced by John Davis
Starring
Cinematography Gabriel Beristain
Edited byTia Nolan
Music byBatu Sener
Production
companies
Distributed by Sony Pictures Releasing
Release date
  • August 2, 2024 (2024-08-02)
CountryUnited States
LanguageEnglish

Harold and the Purple Crayon is an upcoming American live-action/animated fantasy film directed by Carlos Saldanha from a screenplay by David Guion and Michael Handelman, based on the 1955 children's book of the same name by Crockett Johnson. It will star Zachary Levi in the titular role, with Lil Rel Howery, Benjamin Bottani, Jemaine Clement, Tanya Reynolds, and Zooey Deschanel in supporting roles. The film serves as a sequel to the original book, where, after the adventurous Harold grows up with his magical purple crayon and draws himself off the book's pages and into the physical world, he finds that he has a lot to learn about real life.

Contents

Produced by Columbia Pictures in association with producer John Davis through Davis Entertainment, Harold and the Purple Crayon is scheduled to be released in the United States by Sony Pictures Releasing on August 2, 2024.

Cast

Production

Early attempts

In 1992, John B. Carls formed the family-film production company, Wild Things Productions, with Maurice Sendak, writer and illustrator of Where the Wild Things Are . They acquired rights to other children's books, including Harold and the Purple Crayon and whose author Crockett Johnson, was a mentor to Sendak. Sendak and Denise Di Novi were producers. [10] About 1994, Michael Tolkin was brought in to write the script and Henry Selick was to direct, but Selick moved on to James and the Giant Peach for Walt Disney Pictures. Carls picked Spike Jonze to develop the film, a combination of live action and animation. David O. Russell was brought in to help with rewrites. [11] Multiple screenplays, casting, storyboards, and animation work started but Jonze had to abandon the project after more than a year working on it when new management at TriStar Pictures stopped it, two months before principal photography was to begin. [12] [13] [14] [15] [16]

In February 2010, it was reported that Columbia Pictures, Sony Pictures Animation, Steven Spielberg's Amblin Entertainment and Will Smith's Overbrook Entertainment were developing a CGI-animated film adaptation of Harold and the Purple Crayon, to be produced by Smith and James Lassiter, and written by Josh Klausner. [16] [17] In December 2016, it was reported that the film would also be written by Dallas Clayton. [18]

Resurgence

On February 1, 2021, it was reported that Zachary Levi would star in the film, [1] though it was initially not stated what role he would play at that time, except that the film would now be a combination of live-action and animation. It was also announced that Carlos Saldanha was attached to direct the new film, and that David Guion and Michael Handelman replaced Klausner and Clayton as screenwriters, with John Davis producing under his Davis Entertainment banner. Lil Rel Howery was announced as part of the cast on January 11, 2022. [3] Zooey Deschanel and Ravi Patel were added in February 2022. [4] [7] Camille Guaty was cast on March 1, 2022. [8] Tanya Reynolds and Pete Gardner joined in May 2022. [6] [9] In January 2024, it was revealed that Jemaine Clement had joined the cast, uniting with Saldanha after having previously voiced Nigel in Rio (2011) and its sequel Rio 2 (2014). [5]

Around the beginning of 2022, live-action filming took place in the Atlanta, Georgia area. [19] [20] [21] Gabriel Beristain served as the cinematographer. [22]

Post-production

Tia Nolan serves as an editor on the film. [23]

Music

In February 2023, Batu Sener, who previously provided additional music to films composed by Saldanha's frequent collaborator John Powell, was announced to be composing the film's score. [24]

Release

Harold and the Purple Crayon is scheduled to be released in theaters on August 2, 2024. [25] It was originally scheduled to be released on January 27, 2023, [26] and June 30, 2023. [27]

Marketing

The first teaser posters were released on March 13, 2024, confirming that Harold will be played by Levi and that the character, originally a kid, will be portrayed as a grown man in the film. [2] A trailer for the film was released on March 20, 2024. [28]

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Davis Entertainment</span> American film production company

Davis Entertainment is an American independent film and television production company, founded by John Davis in 1984.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Zachary Levi</span> American actor (born 1980)

Zachary Levi Pugh is an American actor. He starred as Chuck Bartowski in the series Chuck, and as the title character in Shazam! and its 2023 sequel.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Carlos Saldanha</span> Brazilian animator (born 1965)

Carlos Saldanha is a Brazilian animator, director, producer, and voice actor of animated films who worked with Blue Sky Studios until its closure in 2021. He was the director of Ice Age: The Meltdown (2006), Ice Age: Dawn of the Dinosaurs (2009), Rio (2011), Rio 2 (2014), Ferdinand (2017), and the co-director of Ice Age (2002) and Robots (2005). Saldanha was nominated in 2003 for an Academy Award for Best Animated Short Film for Gone Nutty and in 2018 for Best Animated Feature for Ferdinand.

<i>Harold and the Purple Crayon</i> 1955 childrens book by Crockett Johnson

Harold and the Purple Crayon is a 1955 children's picture book written and illustrated by Crockett Johnson. Published by Harper Collins Publishers, it is Johnson's most popular book, and has led to a series of other related books, as well as many adaptations. The story is written in third-person point-of-view, and follows a young boy on an imaginative adventure through the night.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Roadside Attractions</span> Film production company

Roadside Attractions, LLC is an American production company and film distributor based in Los Angeles, California, founded on July 27, 2000, by Howard Cohen and Eric d'Arbeloff, specializing largely in independent films. Lionsgate bought a portion of Roadside in 2007.

Bron Studios is a Canadian motion picture company based in British Columbia owned by Bron Media Corporation. Bron's notable productions include Joker, Bombshell, Queen & Slim, Greyhound, Judas and the Black Messiah,The Mule, Henchmen, Roman J. Israel, Esq.,Rudderless, Welcome to Me, The Addams Family,TheWilloughbys, and Ghostbusters: Afterlife.

Tanya Louise Reynolds is an English actress. She landed her first major role as a series regular on the Sky 1 comedy-drama Delicious (2016–2019). Reynolds portrayed Lily Iglehart on the Netflix comedy-drama Sex Education (2019–2021), where she was a part of the main cast in the first three seasons. Other credits include Outlander (2017), Death in Paradise (2017), Emma (2020), Dodger (2022), The Baby (2022), I Hate You (2022), and The Decameron (2024).

<i>Physical</i> (TV series) 2021 American comedy-drama streaming series

Physical is an American comedy-drama television series created by Annie Weisman. The series premiered on Apple TV+ on June 18, 2021. In August 2021, the series was renewed for a second season ahead of its first season finale, which premiered on June 3, 2022. In August 2022, the series was renewed for a third season. In May 2023, it was announced that the third season would be the final season and would premiere on August 2, 2023.

Reunion is an upcoming American comedy film directed by Chris Nelson and starring Lil Rel Howery.

<i>Dreamin Wild</i> 2022 film by Bill Pohlad

Dreamin' Wild is a 2022 American biographical drama film written, directed, and produced by Bill Pohlad, and starring Casey Affleck, Noah Jupe, Zooey Deschanel, Walton Goggins, and Beau Bridges. Its storyline is based on the life of singer-musician brothers Donnie and Joe Emerson.

<i>The Return of Tanya Tucker: Featuring Brandi Carlile</i> 2022 American film

The Return of Tanya Tucker: Featuring Brandi Carlile is an 2022 American documentary film, directed and co-produced by Kathlyn Horan. It follows Tanya Tucker returning to the studio to record her first album in 10 years, While I'm Livin', collaborating with Brandi Carlile.

Animal Friends is an upcoming American live-action/animated road action comedy film directed by Peter Atencio and written by Kevin Burrows and Matt Mider. The film stars Ryan Reynolds, Jason Momoa, Vince Vaughn, Aubrey Plaza, Addison Rae, Dan Levy and Lil Rel Howery.

<i>The Throwback</i> (2023 film) 2023 comedy film by Mario Garcia

The Throwback is a 2023 American comedy film written and directed by Mario Garcia in his directorial debut. The film stars Justina Machado as a mother who is suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder, causing her to regress to her college-student, party-going persona, but who eventually learns the party life will never replace the love for her family. The film also stars Will Sasso, Gregg Sulkin, Michelle Randolph and Bobby Lee. It initially screened at the Tampa Theatre on May 3, 2023, and was released by Myriad Pictures on March 15, 2024.

Code 3 is an upcoming American action comedy film written by Christopher Leone and Patrick Pianezza, directed by Leone and starring Rainn Wilson, Lil Rel Howery and Aimee Carrero.

Merv is an upcoming American romantic comedy film directed by Jessica Swale and written by Linsey Stewart and Dane Clark. It stars Charlie Cox and Zooey Deschanel.

References

  1. 1 2 Pearson, Ben (February 2, 2021). "'Harold And The Purple Crayon' Movie Will Star Zachary Levi". /Film. Retrieved April 12, 2022.
  2. 1 2 Peralta, Diego (March 13, 2024). "Harold Is All Grown Up in the First Posters for 'Harold and the Purple Crayon'". Collider. Retrieved March 13, 2024.
  3. 1 2 Kroll, Justin (January 11, 2022). "Lil Rel Howery Joins Zachary Levi In Sony's Adaptation Of 'Harold And The Purple Crayon'". Deadline. Retrieved April 12, 2022.
  4. 1 2 Galuppo, Mia (February 9, 2022). "Zooey Deschanel Joins Sony's Live-Action 'Harold and the Purple Crayon' (Exclusive)". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved April 12, 2022.
  5. 1 2 D'Alessandro, Anthony (January 18, 2024). "Kate McKinnon & Jemaine Clement Join Jason Momoa 'Minecraft' Gang At Warner Bros" . Retrieved January 30, 2024.
  6. 1 2 Grobar, Matt (May 2, 2022). "Tanya Reynolds Joins 'Harold And The Purple Crayon'; 'The Throwback' Adds Gregg Sulkin". Deadline. Retrieved May 2, 2022.
  7. 1 2 Kroll, Justin (February 23, 2022). "Ravi Patel Joins Sony's Adaptation Of 'Harold And The Purple Crayon'". Deadline. Retrieved April 12, 2022.
  8. 1 2 Grobar, Matt (March 1, 2022). "Louise Lombard Joins 'Oppenheimer'; 'Harold And The Purple Crayon' Adds Camille Guaty". Deadline. Retrieved April 19, 2022.
  9. 1 2 Grobar, Matt (May 9, 2022). "Crazy Ex-Girlfriend's Pete Gardner Joins Harold and the Purple Crayon; Paramount+'s Finestkind Adds Charlie Thurston". Deadline Hollywood . Retrieved May 9, 2022.
  10. ↑ "The Philadelphia Inquirer from Philadelphia, Pennsylvania on July 23, 1995 · Page 138". Newspapers.com. July 23, 1995. Retrieved April 20, 2022.
  11. ↑ Waxman, Sharon (February 19, 2013). Rebels on the Backlot: Six Maverick Directors and How They Conquered the Hollywood Studio System. Harper Collins. ISBN   978-0-06-228750-2.
  12. ↑ Premiere. [American Ed.] 1995-05: Vol 8 Iss 9. Hachette Filipacchi Magazines. May 1995.
  13. ↑ Fleming, Charles (October 23, 2005). "A Wild Rumpus in the Hollywood Jungle". The New York Times. ISSN   0362-4331 . Retrieved April 18, 2022.
  14. ↑ Knafo, Saki (September 2, 2009). "Bringing 'Where the Wild Things Are' to the Screen". New York Times. Retrieved April 18, 2022.
  15. ↑ "Spike Jonze's abandoned movie 'Harold & The Purple Crayon'". June 3, 2021. Retrieved April 14, 2022.
  16. 1 2 "Shrek the Third Screenwriter Adapting Harold and the Purple Crayon?". /Film. February 25, 2010. Retrieved May 10, 2022.
  17. ↑ Rowles, Dustin (February 25, 2010). "Exclusive: Harold and the Purple Crayon Headed to the Big Screen". Pajiba. Retrieved April 12, 2022.
  18. ↑ Emily J (December 7, 2016). "Dallas Clayton Tapped to Pen "Harold and the Purple Crayon" Adaptation (Exclusive)". The Tracking Board. Retrieved July 23, 2019.
  19. ↑ Cho, Winston (March 16, 2022). "Hollywood Silent So Far on Georgia's "Don't Say Gay" Bill Proposal". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved April 18, 2022.
  20. ↑ "Amy Adams Gets Into Character While Filming in the U.K., Plus Camila Cabello, Jared Leto and More". PEOPLE. March 30, 2022. Retrieved April 18, 2022.
  21. ↑ Ho, Rodney. "What's filming in Georgia in January 2022?". Atlanta Journal-Constitutio. Retrieved April 18, 2022.
  22. ↑ Bentz, Adam (February 2, 2021). "Harold and the Purple Crayon (2024)". Screen Rant . Retrieved January 15, 2024.
  23. ↑ "Tia Nolan, ACE" (PDF). Retrieved April 26, 2023.
  24. ↑ "Batu Sener Scoring Carlos Saldanha's 'Harold and the Purple Crayon'". Film Music Reporter. February 10, 2023. Retrieved February 11, 2023.
  25. ↑ Grobar, Matt (May 16, 2023). "Sony Pushes 'Harold And The Purple Crayon' And 'They Listen' To 2024, Sets Dates For 'My Ex-Friend's Wedding,' 'Horrorscope' And 'Psycho-Pass: Providence'". Deadline. Retrieved May 17, 2023.
  26. ↑ Pedersen, Erik (September 10, 2021). "Sony Sets Dates For Whitney Houston & George Foreman Biopics, Two Others; 'Lyle, Lyle, Crocodile' On The Move". Deadline. Retrieved April 12, 2022.
  27. ↑ Grobar, Matt (October 20, 2022). "'Harold And The Purple Crayon' Release Date Pushed Back By Sony". Deadline. Retrieved October 20, 2022.
  28. ↑ Hipes, Patrick (March 20, 2024). "'Harold And The Purple Crayon' Trailer: The Kid Doesn't Stay In The Picture In Movie Version Of Classic Children's Book". Deadline. Retrieved March 21, 2024.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.