Jumanji Author Signs Production Deal With 20th Century Fox

Deadline reports that Jumanji author Chris Van Allsburg has signed a new production deal with 20th Century Fox, along with his producing partners William Teitler, Ted Field and Mike Weber. The goal is to create new tent pole films based on his current bibliography, his future books and ideas he’s working on. Books that have already been adapted include Jumanji (in 1995 and 2017, as well as an upcoming sequel), The Polar Express (2004) and Zathura (2005). This comes after Jumanji: Welcome to the Jungle has earned $823 million worldwide at the box office.

Other books written by Van Allsburg include The Mysteries of Harris Burdick, The Sweetest Fig, The Garden Of Abdul Gasazi, The Widow’s Brook, Wreck Of The Zypher and The Stanger. Fox executive Matt Reilly will oversee the relationship, after he brought the author and the other producers to meet with Emma Watts, Vanessa Morrison and Nate Hopper the next day. The deal was then made and confirmed, and follows a recent deal made with Ryan Reynolds and his Maximum Effort banner.

Teitler said: “Chris Van Allsburg has created a universe of imaginative and visionary stories with broad and enduring appeal. We look forward, in concert with Fox, to bringing together writers and directors to adapt and translate his work into the medium of film and think this will be an exciting magnet for the entire creative community.”

Weber added that Van Allsburg’s books “have the same Chris Van Allsburg magic that make for high concept hit movie adaptations.”

Field said: “We spread the 15 books out on a huge conference table, pitched the premise of each and when we were done, Emma said: ‘great, let’s make a deal’ so we did!“