Information Mouse Guard: IN DEVELOPMENT

Doctor Omega

Doctor Omega

Member: Rank 10
“Maze Runner” Helmer Enlists A “Mouse Guard”


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“The Maze Runner” trilogy director Wes Ball is being sought to take the helm of “Mouse Guard” for 20th Century Fox.

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Based on the Eisner-winning graphic novel series by David Petersen, the story follows a brotherhood of mice during medieval times sworn to protect their fellow rodents.

The plan is for a live-action and CG mix (ala the first two “The Smurfs”), but will utilise some of the performance-capture tech used in the “Planet of the Apes” franchise to realise the rodents.

Gary Whitta (“Rogue One: A Star Wars Story”) adapted the script and ‘Apes’ franchise helmer Matt Reeves is producing along with Ross Richie and Stephen Christy.

Ball’s “The Maze Runner: The Death Cure” is currently slated for a January 26th release.



 
Doctor Omega

Doctor Omega

Member: Rank 10
Idris Elba In Final Talks For “Mouse Guard”



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Idris Elba is in final negotiations to play the mentor figure in “Mouse Guard,” the Wes Ball-directed adaptation of the Boom! Studios comic. He joins a cast that includes Andy Serkis and Thomas Brodie-Sangster.


Based on the Eisner-winning graphic novel series by David Petersen, the story follows a brotherhood of mice during medieval times sworn to protect their fellow rodents.

Elba will play Celanawe, an Obi-Wan Kenobi-like figure who was once a legendary champion and now thought long gone.

The plan is for a live-action and CG mix (ala the first two “The Smurfs”), but will utilise some of the performance-capture tech used in the “Planet of the Apes” franchise to realise the rodents with the help of WETA.

Gary Whitta (“Rogue One: A Star Wars Story”) adapted the script and ‘Apes’ franchise helmer Matt Reeves is producing along with Ross Richie and Stephen Christy.
 
Doctor Omega

Doctor Omega

Member: Rank 10
Disney Kills “Mouse Guard” Just Before Filming


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The cast was locked, pre-production has been underway for months and filming was set to begin in two weeks – but 20th Century Fox’s $170 million adaptation of David Petersen’s two-time Eisner winning comic “Mouse Guard” has been unexpectedly shut down today by Fox’s new owners Disney reports Heat Vision.


The move happened almost a month to the day that the Disney-Fox merger was finalised. Producers Matt Reeves, Ross Ritchie and Stephen Christy are reportedly being allowed to shop the project to other studios and several are already interested as the project is ready-to-go and it is considered a four-quadrant franchise starter.

Set in a human-free, medieval world, the comic follows a group of mice who have sworn to protect their brethren from predators and other threats. Andy Serkis, Idris Elba, Samson Kayo and Thomas Brodie-Sangster were attached to the project, with Jack Whitehall also circling a role and WETA was providing the digital effects.

Why the shut down happened is unclear. The production was to use motion capture and heavy digital effects to bring animals to life, so it’s possible the project was too similar to Disney’s recent fare like “The Lion King” and “The Jungle Book” live-action adaptations. Another source for the trade indicates Disney “does not want Fox in the big-budget game,” instead they want the studio to focus on lower-cost family movies as well as PG-13 and R-rated fare. The “Avatar” films will be the exception to that rule.

Fox had several projects greenlit before the acquisition including Kenneth Branagh’s “Death on the Nile” and the Ryan Reynolds-led “Free Guy,” both of which may also be subject to review by Disney execs.
 
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