Harold and the Purple Crayon (film)
Harold and the Purple Crayon is an upcoming American live-action/animated fantasy film directed by Carlos Saldanha from a screenplay by David Guion and Michael Handelman, based on the 1955 children's book of the same name by Crockett Johnson. It will star Zachary Levi in the titular role, with Lil Rel Howery, Benjamin Bottani, Jemaine Clement, Tanya Reynolds, and Zooey Deschanel in supporting roles. The film serves as a sequel to the original book, where, after the adventurous Harold grows up with his magical purple crayon and draws himself off the book's pages and into the physical world, he finds that he has a lot to learn about real life.
| Harold and the Purple Crayon | |
|---|---|
Teaser poster | |
| Directed by | Carlos Saldanha |
| Screenplay by |
|
| Based on | Harold and the Purple Crayon by Crockett Johnson |
| Produced by | John Davis |
| Starring |
|
| Cinematography | Gabriel Beristain |
| Edited by | Tia Nolan |
| Music by | Batu Sener |
Production companies | |
| Distributed by | Sony Pictures Releasing |
Release date |
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| Country | United States |
| Language | English |
Produced by Columbia Pictures in association with producer John Davis through Davis Entertainment, A Scholastic Entertainment production, Harold and the Purple Crayon is scheduled to be released in the United States by Sony Pictures Releasing on August 2, 2024.
Cast edit
- Zachary Levi as Harold, a man who has had a magical purple crayon since his childhood which makes whatever he draws come to life[1][2]
- Lil Rel Howery as Moose, a moose who is one of Harold's friends and becomes human in the real world[3]
- Benjamin Bottani as Mel
- Zooey Deschanel as Terry[4]
- Jemaine Clement as Gary[5]
- Tanya Reynolds as Porcupine, a porcupine who is one of Harold's friends and becomes human in the real world[6]
- Alfred Molina
- Ravi Patel[7]
- Camille Guaty[8]
- Pete Gardner[9]
- Seth Robbins
Production edit
Early attempts edit
In 1992, John B. Carls formed the family-film production company, Wild Things Productions, with Maurice Sendak, writer and illustrator of Where the Wild Things Are. They acquired rights to other children's books, including Harold and the Purple Crayon and whose author Crockett Johnson, was a mentor to Sendak. Sendak and Denise Di Novi were producers.[10] About 1994, Michael Tolkin was brought in to write the script and Henry Selick was to direct, but Selick moved on to James and the Giant Peach for Walt Disney Pictures. Carls picked Spike Jonze to develop the film, a combination of live action and animation. David O. Russell was brought in to help with rewrites.[11] Multiple screenplays, casting, storyboards, and animation work started but Jonze had to abandon the project after more than a year working on it when new management at TriStar Pictures stopped it, two months before principal photography was to begin.[12][13][14][15][16]
In February 2010, it was reported that Columbia Pictures, Sony Pictures Animation, Steven Spielberg's Amblin Entertainment and Will Smith's Overbrook Entertainment were developing a CGI-animated film adaptation of Harold and the Purple Crayon, to be produced by Smith and James Lassiter, and written by Josh Klausner.[16][17] In December 2016, it was reported that the film would also be written by Dallas Clayton.[18]
Resurgence edit
On February 1, 2021, it was reported that Zachary Levi would star in the film,[1] though it was initially not stated what role he would play at that time, except that the film would now be a combination of live-action and animation. It was also announced that Carlos Saldanha was attached to direct the new film, and that David Guion and Michael Handelman replaced Klausner and Clayton as screenwriters, with John Davis producing under his Davis Entertainment banner. Lil Rel Howery was announced as part of the cast on January 11, 2022.[3] Zooey Deschanel and Ravi Patel were added in February 2022.[4][7] Camille Guaty was cast on March 1, 2022.[8] Tanya Reynolds and Pete Gardner joined in May 2022.[6][9] In January 2024, it was revealed that Jemaine Clement had joined the cast, uniting with Saldanha after having previously voiced Nigel in Rio (2011) and its sequel Rio 2 (2014).[5]
Around the beginning of 2022, live-action filming took place in the Atlanta, Georgia area.[19][20][21] Gabriel Beristain served as the cinematographer.[22]
Post-production edit
Tia Nolan serves as an editor on the film.[23]
Music edit
In February 2023, Batu Sener, who previously provided additional music to films composed by Saldanha's frequent collaborator John Powell, was announced to be composing the film's score.[24]
Release edit
Harold and the Purple Crayon is scheduled to be released in theaters on August 2, 2024.[25] It was originally scheduled to be released on January 27, 2023,[26] and June 30, 2023.[27]
Marketing edit
The first teaser posters were released on March 13, 2024, confirming that Harold will be played by Levi and that the character, originally a kid, will be portrayed as a grown man in the film.[2] A trailer for the film was released on March 20, 2024.[28]
References edit
- ^ a b Pearson, Ben (February 2, 2021). "'Harold And The Purple Crayon' Movie Will Star Zachary Levi". /Film. Retrieved April 12, 2022.
- ^ a b Peralta, Diego (March 13, 2024). "Harold Is All Grown Up in the First Posters for 'Harold and the Purple Crayon'". Collider. Retrieved March 13, 2024.
- ^ a b Kroll, Justin (January 11, 2022). "Lil Rel Howery Joins Zachary Levi In Sony's Adaptation Of 'Harold And The Purple Crayon'". Deadline. Retrieved April 12, 2022.
- ^ a b Galuppo, Mia (February 9, 2022). "Zooey Deschanel Joins Sony's Live-Action 'Harold and the Purple Crayon' (Exclusive)". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved April 12, 2022.
- ^ a b D'Alessandro, Anthony (January 18, 2024). "Kate McKinnon & Jemaine Clement Join Jason Momoa 'Minecraft' Gang At Warner Bros". Retrieved January 30, 2024.
- ^ a b Grobar, Matt (May 2, 2022). "Tanya Reynolds Joins 'Harold And The Purple Crayon'; 'The Throwback' Adds Gregg Sulkin". Deadline. Retrieved May 2, 2022.
- ^ a b Kroll, Justin (February 23, 2022). "Ravi Patel Joins Sony's Adaptation Of 'Harold And The Purple Crayon'". Deadline. Retrieved April 12, 2022.
- ^ a b Grobar, Matt (March 1, 2022). "Louise Lombard Joins 'Oppenheimer'; 'Harold And The Purple Crayon' Adds Camille Guaty". Deadline. Retrieved April 19, 2022.
- ^ a b Grobar, Matt (May 9, 2022). "Crazy Ex-Girlfriend's Pete Gardner Joins Harold and the Purple Crayon; Paramount+'s Finestkind Adds Charlie Thurston". Deadline Hollywood. Retrieved May 9, 2022.
- ^ "The Philadelphia Inquirer from Philadelphia, Pennsylvania on July 23, 1995 · Page 138". Newspapers.com. July 23, 1995. Retrieved April 20, 2022.
- ^ Waxman, Sharon (February 19, 2013). Rebels on the Backlot: Six Maverick Directors and How They Conquered the Hollywood Studio System. Harper Collins. ISBN 978-0-06-228750-2.
- ^ Premiere. [American Ed.] 1995-05: Vol 8 Iss 9. Internet Archive. Hachette Filipacchi Magazines, Inc. May 1995.
{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: others (link) - ^ Fleming, Charles (October 23, 2005). "A Wild Rumpus in the Hollywood Jungle". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved April 18, 2022.
- ^ Knafo, Saki (September 2, 2009). "Bringing 'Where the Wild Things Are' to the Screen". New York Times. Retrieved April 18, 2022.
- ^ "Spike Jonze's abandoned movie 'Harold & The Purple Crayon'". June 3, 2021. Retrieved April 14, 2022.
- ^ a b "Shrek the Third Screenwriter Adapting Harold and the Purple Crayon?". /Film. February 25, 2010. Retrieved May 10, 2022.
- ^ Rowles, Dustin (February 25, 2010). "Exclusive: Harold and the Purple Crayon Headed to the Big Screen". Pajiba. Retrieved April 12, 2022.
- ^ Emily J (December 7, 2016). "Dallas Clayton Tapped to Pen "Harold and the Purple Crayon" Adaptation (Exclusive)". The Tracking Board. Retrieved July 23, 2019.
- ^ Cho, Winston (March 16, 2022). "Hollywood Silent So Far on Georgia's "Don't Say Gay" Bill Proposal". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved April 18, 2022.
- ^ "Amy Adams Gets Into Character While Filming in the U.K., Plus Camila Cabello, Jared Leto and More". PEOPLE. March 30, 2022. Retrieved April 18, 2022.
- ^ Ho, Rodney. "What's filming in Georgia in January 2022?". Atlanta Journal-Constitutio. Retrieved April 18, 2022.
- ^ Bentz, Adam (February 2, 2021). "Harold and the Purple Crayon (2024)". Screen Rant. Retrieved January 15, 2024.
- ^ "Tia Nolan, ACE" (PDF). Retrieved April 26, 2023.
- ^ "Batu Sener Scoring Carlos Saldanha's 'Harold and the Purple Crayon'". Film Music Reporter. February 10, 2023. Retrieved February 11, 2023.
- ^ Grobar, Matt (May 16, 2023). "Sony Pushes 'Harold And The Purple Crayon' And 'They Listen' To 2024, Sets Dates For 'My Ex-Friend's Wedding,' 'Horrorscope' And 'Psycho-Pass: Providence'". Deadline. Retrieved May 17, 2023.
- ^ Pedersen, Erik (September 10, 2021). "Sony Sets Dates For Whitney Houston & George Foreman Biopics, Two Others; 'Lyle, Lyle, Crocodile' On The Move". Deadline. Retrieved April 12, 2022.
- ^ Grobar, Matt (October 20, 2022). "'Harold And The Purple Crayon' Release Date Pushed Back By Sony". Deadline. Retrieved October 20, 2022.
- ^ Hipes, Patrick (March 20, 2024). "'Harold And The Purple Crayon' Trailer: The Kid Doesn't Stay In The Picture In Movie Version Of Classic Children's Book". Deadline. Retrieved March 21, 2024.
External links edit
- Official Site
- Harold and the Purple Crayon at IMDb
- Harold and the Purple Crayon at Metacritic