A new Eloise live-action film, co-written and directed by Amy Sherman-Palladino and produced by Ryan Reynolds, has landed at Netflix, The Hollywood Reporter has learned.
Reynolds will also star alongside newcomer Mae Schenk as the titular character. Reynolds’ character is described as an “original villainous character.” MRC and Maximum Effort will team up on the new family film. The log line is currently under wraps but it set to be an original adventure based on the beloved children’s book series by Kay Thompson and illustrated by Hilary Knight.
The books were written in the 1950s and consist of Eloise (1955) and four sequels. The series follows a young girl who lives on the “tippy-top floor” of the Plaza Hotel in New York City with her nanny, her pug dog Weenies and her turtle named Skipperdee. Two made-for-TV movies bowed in 2003, titled Eloise at the Plaza and Eloise at Christmastime, starring Sofia Vassilieva as Eloise and Julie Andrews as the nanny.
Sherman-Palladino is writing alongside Hannah Marks and Linda Woolverton. George Dewey, Ashley Fox and Johnny Pariseau are also producing for Maximum Effort alongside Woolverton, while Molly Milstein is executive producing for Maximum Effort. Principal photography is set to begin this month.
MRC acquired the rights to Eloise in 2019 and will collaborate on the film with the Thompson estate, as well as Knight and the original book series’ publisher Simon & Schuster. Handmade Films will also work in conjunction with MRC on the production.
“Eloise has been beloved for generations, from when she was first published in the 1950s through to today, when no family trip to New York City is complete without a stop at The Plaza,” says Hannah Minghella, head of feature animation and family film at Netflix. “It’s an honor to reintroduce this cherished character to the world with two people who share her signature mischief and charm — Amy Sherman-Palladino and Ryan Reynolds — in this bold, hilarious, and heartfelt new family film.”
Add Jonathan Golfman and Brye Adler, co-presidents at MRC Film: “We’ve been working with the Thompson Estate and Handmade Films for a long time to bring Eloise to fans everywhere, and we’re thrilled to be partnering with Maximum Effort, Amy and Netflix to bring the cherished children’s property to audiences around the world.”
In regards to Schenk being cast as Eloise, Ashley Fox and Johnny Pariseau, co-presidents of production at Maximum Effort say, “when Amy introduced us to Mae Schenk, we knew instantly she was Eloise. She’s got the spark, the wit, and just the right amount of mischief. We’re so excited to introduce her to the world with our friends at MRC and Netflix.”
Sherman Palladino is repped by CAA and Hansen, Jacobson, Teller, while Reynolds is represented by Vision PR, WME and Sloane Offer. Schenk is represented by Paradigm and Goodman Genow.
