Harold and the Purple Crayon (film)

Harold and the Purple Crayon (film)
Harold and the Purple Crayon is an upcoming American fantasy film directed by Carlos Saldanha in his live-action directorial debut from a screenplay written by David Guion and Michael Handelman. It is based on the 1955 children's book of the same name written by Crockett Johnson, and will star Zachary Levi, Lil Rel Howery, Zooey Deschanel, Ravi Patel, Camille Guaty, Tanya Reynolds, and Pete Gardner. Little has been announced about the plot or what roles the actors play. The original book's premise is a young boy named Harold embarks on a magical adventure with the help of his purple crayon.
The film is scheduled to be released in theaters in the United States on August 2, 2024, by Sony Pictures Releasing, via its Columbia Pictures label.
Cast
Zachary Levi
Lil Rel Howery
Zooey Deschanel
Ravi Patel
Camille Guaty
Tanya Reynolds
Pete Gardner
TBA as Harold
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. 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. A budget of $25 million to almost $50 million was mentioned in the press. David O. Russell was brought in to help with rewrites. 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.
In February 2010, it was reported that Columbia Pictures, Sony Pictures Animation 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. In December 2016, it was reported that the film would also be written by Dallas Clayton. The film would still be produced by Columbia Pictures and distributed by Sony Pictures Releasing.
Resurgence
On February 1, 2021, it was reported that Zachary Levi would star in the film, though it was not stated what role he would play. 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. Zooey Deschanel and Ravi Patel were added in February 2022. Camille Guaty was cast on March 1, 2022. Tanya Reynolds and Pete Gardner joined in May 2022.
Around the beginning of 2022, live-action filming was taking place in the Atlanta, Georgia area.
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.
Release
The film is scheduled to be released in theaters on August 2, 2024. It was originally scheduled to be released on January 27, 2023, and June 30, 2023.
Marketing
Sony Pictures showed footage from the film as part of an upcoming releases sizzle reel at CinemaCon in April 2022.
References
External links
2024 computer-animated films
2024 fantasy films
2020s American animated films
2020s American films
2020s children's fantasy films
2020s English-language films
American animated fantasy films
American children's fantasy films
American films with live action and animation
Columbia Pictures animated films
Columbia Pictures films
Davis Entertainment films
Films based on children's books
Films directed by Carlos Saldanha
Films produced by John Davis
Films shot in Atlanta
Upcoming English-language films