One of these days I will write a news article about something that isn’t based on a graphic novel or comic book. It seems unless your name is Christopher Nolan, J.J. Abrams, James Cameron or Joss Whedon then you have no hope of getting something based on an original script off the ground. Disney are getting in the graphic novel business now and have made a ‘pre-emptive pitch deal’ (?!?) with Peter Candeland to adapt funny book THE STUFF OF LEGEND.

Shawn Christensen will write the screenplay and Candeland will direct, which is nice because he apparently spent a year putting together a pitch package to Disney convincing them of its potential. Candeland was recently hired by Disney to write the screenplay for MR TOAD’S WILD RIDE, so it’s quite nice to see his hard work paying off.

Written by Mike Raicht and Brian Smith, THE STUFF OF LEGEND concerns an epic battle between Boogeyman and a boys cherished toys. The Boogeyman appears from the child’s closet and drags him into a twisted world so the boys toys decide to mount a rescue mission. When the toys cross the threshold into this strange world they are transformed into full size beings with fearsome working weaponry. A teddy becomes a proper fearsome bear and a soldier has a working gun etc.

So it’s like a dark version of TOY STORY crossed with THE WIZARD OF OZ? I’m in!

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