War Horse Film Coming Soonish
Spielberg Takes On World War I
Steven Spielberg's Dreamworks Studio has acquired the film rights to Michael Morpurgo’s War Horse.
STEVEN SPIELBERG is teaming up with BILLY ELLIOTT writer LEE HALL to take a World War I novel to the big screen.The Hollywood icon has bought the rights to Michael Morpurgo’s 1982 book Warhorse, which follows the relationship between a boy and his horse in the backdrop of the Great War.
The stage adaptation of the former children's laureate's novel is currently wowing West End audiences at the New London Theatre. With a talented cast and stunning life-size horse puppets, it is little wonder that the audience of War Horse regularly includes members of London's elite. Even the Queen has been spotted sneaking into the auditorium.
Spielberg has recruited Hall to adapt the book for Hollywood, and he will to produce the film alongside Kathleen Kennedy, Frank Marshall and Revel Guest. The screenplay will be written by Billy Elliot's Lee Hall.
The filmmaker, who tackled World War II in Saving Private Ryan and Band of Brothers, tells , “From the moment I read the book, I knew this was a film I wanted to make. Its heart and its message provide a story that can be felt in every country.”
Spielberg has obviously spotted the universal appeal of War Horse's heart-warming story. Speaking to The Hollywood Reporter, the director said: "From the moment I read Michael Morpurgo's novel I knew this was a film I wanted DreamWorks to make. Its heart and its message provide a story that can be felt in every country."