Disney Has Officially Announced A Live-Action 'The Sword In The Stone,' And It Already Has A Director
Released in 1963 and based on the best-selling book of the same name by T.H. White, The Sword In The Stone is one of Disney's unsung classics that people often forget about. Fun fact: it was actually the last movie that Walt Disney himself produced, as he died during the production of The Jungle Book.
The story focuses on Wart, a young boy who dreams of being a knight, as he meets the wizard Merlin and goes under his tutelage, all while the mystery unfolds about a mysterious sword embedded in a stone by the local church yard. If this sounds familiar, it's because Wart is actually a young Arthur, destined to become the ruler of England by pulling Excalibur from the stone.
The movie is a fun mix of comedy, fantasy, and sometimes genuine creepiness (looking at you, Madam Mim scene), and while it isn't the most beloved movie in Disney's back catalog, it's pretty surprising how many people who remember it, and how many people learned about Arthurian Myth for the first time just by watching the movie.
So, of course, because live-action remakes of their hits have been a massively successful idea for Disney, a live-action The Sword In The Stone has just been announced, along with who's going to be writing and directing it.
Speaking to the Hollywood Reporter, Disney announced that Juan Carlos Fresnadillo, best-known for directing the horror sequel 28 Weeks Later, is currently in negotiations to direct the upcoming Sword In The Stone remake, which has yet to be given a firm release date.
On the writing side of things, the script is going to be helmed by screenwriter Bryan Cogman, who fans may recognize as one of the principal screenwriters for HBO's smash-hit series Game of Thrones. The entire movie is being produced by Brigham Taylor, who was a producer for Disney's remake of The Jungle Book.
So far these are the only details released about the movie, but it's still plenty to speculate about. Will getting a Game of Thrones writer mean the movie's going for a darker edge than the original or the book? Also, does this have anything to do with the Merlin Saga that Disney is apparently in talks with director Ridley Scott to make a series of? Time will tell!