One of the "greatest children’s books of all time" and a current favorite of my two-year old daughter is finally coming to the big screen.
Director Tim Story (Ride Along, Think Like a Man, Fantastic Four) is in talks to helm Corduroy, based on Don Freeman's 1968 book of the same name, according to The Hollywood Reporter. CBS Films is on-board to produce with their usual distribution partner, Lionsgate Films (or possibly Paramount, if the CBS-Paramount merger happens soon).
The story, which takes place over the course of one night in a closed department store, follows a teddy bear who goes on an adventure to find his lost button so that he can find the home and the friend that he has always wanted. An African American girl and her mother eventually take him home.
Many other Corduroy adventure stories have since been released. A Christmas Wish for Corduroy is a prequel set before the original book while Corduroy Lost and Found is a follow-up story where Corduroy gets lost doing the laundry with his new owner.
Surprisingly this will be the first big screen outing for Corduroy. The book was previously adapted for a short TV movie in 1984 and featured in two namesake animated series from 1997-1999 and 2000-2001.
CBS Films likely hopes they can have similar success as 2015's Paddington, which made nearly $270 million in global box office. Two sequels Paddington 2 and Paddington 3 are already in the works.
Ride Along director Tim Story is in negotiations to helm the adaptation of the Don Freeman book.
