WithEwan McGregorcoming aboard to playChristopher Robinin Disney’s new live-action drama this spring, the studio has now found the title character’s wife. Hayley Atwell has signed on to star as Christopher Robin’s significant other, although no specific details have been released about the character. Disney hasn’t announced a release date or any sort of production schedule, and it remains to be seen how many more pivotal characters still need to be cast, but it seems that Disney definitely has gotten the ball rolling on this project.
Varietybroke the news earlier today, with the movie centering on Ewan McGregor as an adult version of Christopher Robin, now a married family man who has lost all sense of the imagination he once had as a child in the Hundred Acre Wood. The story takes an interesting turn when characters such as Tigger, Eeyore, Piglet, Owl, Roo and Winnie the Pooh re-enter his life to help him find his imagination once again. It is believed that all of the Hundred Acre Woods characters will be portrayed through CGI animation, but that has yet to be confirmed. It’s possible that the animals could be portrayed with the same type of CGI animation as Disney’s blockbusterThe Jungle Book, but that hasn’t been confirmed.
The project has been in development for the past few years, withListen Up Philipwriter-director Alex Ross Perry coming aboard to write the script in 2015, withSpotlightwriter-director Tom McCarthy also writing a draft of the script. The project really started moving forward last year, though, whenWorld War ZdirectorMarc Forsterboarded the project. That report from November claimed that Christopher Robin is now a “businessman who prioritizes work over his wife and daughter.” His home life is said to be in shambles, and the arrival of Pooh and his friends is said to be “the last thing he needs.”
That report didn’t specify whatWinnie the Poohand the rest of his friends were doing in visiting their longtime friend, but it was said that Christopher must help both his old friends and his family, or risk losing everything. Marc Forster is directing from a screenplay by Allison Schroeder, who wrote last year’s Best Picture nomineeHidden Figures, with Brigham Taylor producing. This project is just the latest live-action adaptation of a Disney classic, with the studio recentlystarting production on Dumbowith director Tim Burton. The studio is also developing a live-action version ofThe Lion KingwithJungle Bookdirector Jon Favreau, along with a sequel toMaleficentand many more.
Hayley Atwell is best known to Marvel fans as Agent Peggy Carter from theCaptain Americamovies, along with the ABC TV seriesAgent Carter. She is also no stranger to these live-action fairy tale adaptations, having played the title character’s mother in the studio’s 2015 blockbusterCinderella. She most recently starred on the ABC TV seriesConviction, which only last one season, and she will next be seen in the Starz mini-seriesHoward’s End. Hopefully we’ll have more casting news forChristopher Robinin the near future.
