Taika Waititi In Early Talks To Star In ‘FING!’ Children’s Book Adaptation
Oscar winner Taika Waititi (Jojo Rabbit) is in early talks to star in FING!, a family fantasy film based on the bestselling children’s book from David Walliams.
We’re told others in the cast will include Rafe Spall (Just Mercy), Walliams (Little Britain) and newcomer Iona Bell. Waititi’s deal is not done at this stage, and it’s not entirely clear whether it will make. Production kicks off in Australia and the UK in Q1.
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The story follows librarians Mr. and Mrs. Meek, who will do anything to keep their darling daughter, Myrtle (Bell), happy. But it’s not enough for Myrtle who always wants more, more, MORE! When Myrtle declares she wants a Fing, her parents have no choice but to track one down, taking them to the furthest and darkest corners of the jungle. Fing turns out to be as much as a destructive monster as Myrtle, who in turn, has to battle it out with the evil animal park owner, The Viscount, who is determined to own this rarest of creatures.
A major name in children’s literature worldwide with over 60 million copies of his books sold in 55 languages, Walliams published FING! in 2019.
Jeffrey Walker (Young Rock, Modern Family) will direct from a script written by Walliams and Emmy winner Kevin Cecil (Veep). Jo Sargent of King Bert Productions, Todd Fellman of Story Bridge Films and Craig McMahon of Forte Corp Pictures are set to produce, with Walliams of King Bert Productions and Stuart Ford of AGC Studios serving as EPs. AGC International is handling worldwide sales outside of UK/IRE and ANZ. Financiers are Sky, who also hold UK rights, AGC Studios and Elevate Production Finance. The production is supported by Screen Queensland’s Production Attraction Incentive.
While the film is live-action, key animation will be designed by Academy Award-winning visual effects house Wētā FX.
Better known these days for his work behind the camera than as an actor, Waititi won an Oscar for Jojo Rabbit and most recently helmed the forthcoming sci-fi pic Klara and the Sun, starring Jenna Ortega and Amy Adams, for Sony’s 3000 Pictures. Recent acting projects include Apple’s Time Bandits, which he co-created, and Max’s pirate comedy Our Flag Means Death, which he exec produced. An EP on forthcoming Hulu series Interior Chinatown, he earlier this summer was announced as circling an adaptation of Percival Everett’s bestseller James that he would direct for Universal and Amblin. He is repped by Gail Cowan Management in New Zealand, CAA, Manage-ment, and Yorn, Levine, Barnes.
Spall is repped by B-Side Management in the UK and UTA; Walliams by UTA and YM&U Group in the UK; Bell by the UK’s Mark Jermin Management; Walker by Innovative Artists and Shanahan Management in Australia; and Cecil by Curtis Brown Group in the UK and WME.
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