The film adaptation of Jeff Smith’s award-winning comic, Bone, has been in development hell for a long time. Back in 2008 Warner Bros Pictures bought the rights to make the film, with the first release date set for 2013 – which obviously didn’t happen – and a script still hadn’t been confirmed by 2011. For a time PJ Hogan (2003’s Peter Pan) had been attached to the film, but either this was simply rumour, or has fallen through.
It was reported by THR that Mark Osborne, best known for Kung Fu Panda, has been confirmed to take Hogan’s place. His most recent work has included Netflix’s The Little Prince (which is currently in the running for the Best Animation Academy Award) and episodes of SpongeBob SquarePants. Given his experience, in Osborne we trust, we think he has the ability to really make the most of the source material.
Osborne will also pen the script alongside Adam Kline and it shall be produced by Lin Pictures, who are most famously known for The Lego Movie and the upcoming The Lego Batman Movie. It is thought to be turned into a trilogy of films at this point.
Bone ran for 55 sporadically released comics telling the story of three cousins, Smiley, Phoney and Fone, that find themselves trapped in a different land having been banned from their hometown of Boneville, on their journey back home they come acorss a pethora of creatures including Thorn Harvester – who eventually got her own spin-off comic. Bone is renowned for its stunning visuals, winning the Harvey Award for Best Cartoonist for Jeff Smith’s art eight times.
It is currently unknown when Bone shall be released, so watch this space.
Find out more about the Bone comics and the other best graphic novels in our 100 All-Time Greatest Comics.
