Where's Waldo?

[_____V_____]

Doc Faustus, rub your hands in glee.


Several studios were in on the search, but Universal and Illumination Entertainment were the ones who found "Where's Waldo?"

U and Chris Meledandri's family film unit have acquired screen rights to turn the "Where's Waldo?" book series into a live-action family pic. Deal was worth high-six against seven figures. Meledandri will produce.

Among other bidders, Warner Bros. chased the property for Bob Shaye and Michael Lynne's Unique Features banner. The rights were brokered by Classic Media's Eric Ellenbogen, who'll be executive producer.

Written and illustrated by Martin Handford, the "Waldo" books have sold more than 50 million copies worldwide. The books contain complex, full-page illustrations of large crowd scenes in which the main character is somewhere hidden, dressed in a red-and-white shirt, a hat, glasses and a walking stick.

U and Illumination will seek to create a movie with strong global appeal.

Series launched in 1987 in the U.K., spawning a TV skein, comicstrip and videogames.

Handford's business partner Mike Gornall will also be involved in the film in some capacity.

Deal comes as Illumination readies its first picture, "Despicable Me," for a July 9, 2010, release via Universal. Voice cast includes Steve Carell, Jason Segel, Danny McBride, Will Arnett, Kristen Wiig and Julie Andrews.

Next up for Illumination is "Flanimals," an animated film based on the children's book series created by Ricky Gervais, who'll voice the lead character in the film scripted by Matt Selman ("The Simpsons").

[Doc Faustus]

Wow. I feel really bad for these producers. How can you make a movie where you can't even locate the protagonist? Will be it a Waiting for Godot kind of thing? Will we find out who those postcards are actually being written to?

[urgeok2]

i feel bad for the poor sap who has to dress in red and white stripes

[scouse mac]

Whats the plot going to be?


I can see it as a wide screen shot of a couple of thousand people in a park and you've got 90 minutes to find Waldo until the movie ends. Those who find him before the end, leave.

[Doc Faustus]

Maybe it will be a fast paced political thriller starring Mark Wahlberg, hunting down Waldo (who will be played by Dennis Hopper), an international terrorist and master of hiding in plain sight. He chases him through a beach, a hedge maze and an amusement park, all the time trying to locate him before he gets a backpack of nuclear materials to Osama Bin Laden.

[neverending]

Not Mark Wahlburg- it'll reteam Dennis Hopper & Keanu Reeves.

[Papillon Noir]

Originally Posted by scouse mac

Whats the plot going to be?


I can see it as a wide screen shot of a couple of thousand people in a park and you've got 90 minutes to find Waldo until the movie ends. Those who find him before the end, leave.

Haha! That's what I was thinking. :p It's like a bad experimental film.

[neverending]

And it'll be 3-D!

[newb]

WHERE'S URGEOK

[Doc Faustus]

Clearly, he has disguised himself as a seal.