‘Kung Fu Panda’ Director Directing ‘The Little Prince’

The Little Prince is one of the most enchanting children’s books of the last century. Written by Antoine de Saint-Exupery in 1943, it is one of the most popular books to cross over target audiences, un-intenionally. Though it is written as a children’s book, the philosophy and themes that are dealt with in the book, make it accessible to any person at any age.

For those of you who have not had the pleasure of reading this wonderful book yet (and I suggest you do, it is an enlightening read), the story is about a pilot who became stranded in the Sahara desert after his plane crashed. After days of lack of food and water, a little blond boy appears to him, and asks him to draw sheep, for he needs a sheep to help contain the weeds on his planet. Through the story, the little prince tells the pilot of his adventures on his journey to try and find a sheep.

In 1974, a British musical adaptation of the book was released as a live-action film. While it did very well, it is time for a new take, and I for one am glad that it will be an animated film versus a live-action, so that it may live beyond it’s years.

Mark Osborne (Kung Fu Panda) will be directing the film and has already begun casting.  Jeff Bridges (rumored to be playing the pilot), James Franco, Rachel McAdams, Marion Cotillard, Benicio del Toro, Paul Giamatti, Paul Rudd, and Mackenzie Foy (Breaking Dawn) are all currently attached to the project, though their specific roles are yet to be determined.

While there is no hard release day, according to Coming Soon the film is scheduled for a 3D release sometime next year.

Via Slashfilm.