Haggis Might Direct Kids Movie - News Story

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Monday, January 07, 2008 11:21 AM EST
Haggis Might Direct Kids Movie

tags: children family mgm paul haggis tom cruise united artists wga strike

United Artists, which is the mini studio headed by Tom Cruise and his producing partner, has paid seven figures to option the film rights for children's literature series Ranger's Apprentice, a project that could be directed by Oscar-winning Crash filmmaker Paul Haggis, according to The Hollywood Reporter.

The studio said Haggis had been in discussions to adapt and direct the first movie of the series, but those negotiations were halted by the writers strike, which is now in its third month with no end in sight. Concidentally, the MGM-owned studio is close to sealing its own contract with the Writers Guild of America, which would allow it to work again with union scribes.

The fantasy series by Australian author John Flanagan follows the adventures of an orphan named Will who becomes an apprentice ranger and fights to keep the mythical kingdom of Araluen safe from invaders, traitors and other dangers with the help of his master Halt.

Flanagan was an ad copy writer who began writing the book to inspire his bored son to read. The first book, "The Ruins of Gorlan," was released in Australia in November 2004 and seven months later in the United States. Seven books have been released to date.

If Haggis' deal is completed, it would be a move into new territory for the filmmaker, who was most recently in theaters with the Iraq War drama In the Valley of Elah.

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