’50 Shades of Grey’ Screenwriter to Pen New ‘Little Mermaid’ Adaptation
Deadline reports that Kelly Marcel, who will be prose the script for the upcoming “Fifty Shades of Grey” film, is in discussion to rewrite a “Small Mermaid” report for director Joe Wright.
Wright’s version of the film is based on the Small Angel Theatre’s stage adaptation of Hans Christian Andersen’s classic fairy tale, and won’t have any association with the 1989 Disney animated film. Still, it looks like Marcel will have to restrain herself from pumping her script with too many influences from her “Fifty Shades” gig, since the Small Angel Theatre is a puppet company geared toward family audiences, and Wright will most likely take a kid-friendly approach to the dark source material.
SlashFilm clarification that Sony has been effective on just such a darker interpretation for more than two years and currently has “Country Strong” director Shana Feste on board to write and direct. No word yet on when that project is due out.
Marcel is quickly establishing herself as the hot new writer in Hollywood. She landed that high-profile “Fifty Shades” job after winning over Disney executives with her Black List script “Saving Mr. Banks.” That project, starring Tom Hanks as Walt Disney himself, is due out December 20, just in time for awards season.
Also of note is that the “Small Mermaid” collaboration will be the second time Wright and Marcel have been linked to a project together. Wright was heavily rumored to have secured the “Fifty Shades” directing job, but the studio denied it and Wright’s schedule was too packed to accommodate the film. Looks like the duo’s now in for a do-over.
