A live-action movie based on the classic children’s bookHarold and the Purple Crayonis moving forward withShazam!star Zachary Levi in a lead role. From Sony Pictures, the adaptation is written by David Guion and Michael Handelman (Night of the Museum: Secret of the Tomb,Dinner for Schmucks). John Davis (Dolemite Is My Name, Disney’sJungle Cruise) is producing through David Entertainment. A director hasn’t yet been named.
Harold and the Purple Crayonwas first published in 1955. Written by Crockett Johnson, the book tells the story of a four-year-old boy whocreates an entire worldby drawing it with a special purple crayon, culminating with him drawing his own house and bed so he can go to sleep. It’s such a simple premise, but the story was a big hit, bringing about six sequels in the following years and concluding withHarold’s ABCin 1963.
In 2002, Adelaide Productions developed a 13-episode animated series forHBObased on the original book. Narrated by Sharon Stone and featuring Connor Matheus as the voice of Harold, the series won the Daytime Emmy Award for Main Title Design. Each episode followed Harold using the purple crayon to explore new worlds while learning valuable life lessons along the way.
There have been attempts to develop a big screen reimagining ofHarold and the Purple Crayonfor more than a decade. It was reported in 2010 that Warner Bros. and Columbia Pictures were teaming up for aHaroldmovie with Josh Klausner writing and James Lassiter and Will Smith producing. It was later reported in 2016 that Dallas Clayton was going to write the screenplay for aCGI-animated movieversion of the story. At one point, Spike Jonze was trying to make aHaroldmovie as well, but his vision never made it to fruition either.
No details about this new direction for theHarold and the Purple Crayonmovie have been revealed beyond that it will be a “live-action adaptation.” It’s also unclear if Levi is meant to play Harold, perhaps as an older version of the character, or someone else involved in the story. It’s also possible he could serve as the narrator in the way Sharon Stone had for the animated HBO series. In any case, this is all speculation at this point until more information is divulged about the project.
Zachary Levimight be best known for playing the titular superhero in the DCEU movieShazam!, which was released in 2019. A box office success, the movie already has a sequel in the works with Levi set to reprise the role. CalledShazam! Fury of the Gods, the sequel is set to be released on July 25, 2025. Additionally, Levi is also known for starring in the TV seriesChuckand has appeared in the Marvel Cinematic Universe as Fandral inThor: The Dark WorldandThor: Ragnarok.
There’s no word yet on whenHarold and the Purple Crayonmight begin production, but given how long the idea’s already been languishing in development hell, I wouldn’t get too excited about the movie adaptation just yet. This news comes to us fromThe Hollywood Reporter.
