Paul Feig (Bridesmaids, Ghostbusters, Freaks And Geeks) has been tapped to direct a big screen adaptation of Chris Van Allsburg’s illustrated children’s book The Sweetest Fig for Fox, according to Deadline.
The book was first published in 1993, and tells the tale of a dentist who eats a magic fig and then finds that all his dreams are suddenly coming true in real life.
Author Van Allsburg is also famous for writing the books that 1995 film Jumanji and 2004’s The Polar Express were based on. Van Allsburg is set to produce, alongside William Teitler, Mike Weber, Ted Field and Feigco’s Jesse Henderson.
If you’re unfamiliar with the story, you can read the official Amazon synopsis for the book here:
“These figs are very special, ” the woman whispered. “They can make your dreams come true.” Thus Monsieur Bibot, the cold-hearted dentist, was given two ordinary-looking figs as payment for extracting a tooth from an old woman’s mouth. Monsieur Bibot refused to believe such nonsense and proceeded to eat one of the figs for a bedtime snack. Although it was possibly the finest, sweetest fig he had ever tasted, it wasn’t until the next morning that Monsieur Bibot realised it indeed had the power to make his dreams come true. While dragging his poor dog, Marcel, out for his walk, he discovered that his strange dream from the night before was becoming all too real. Determined to make good use of the second fig, Monsieur Bibot learns to control his dreams. But can he control Marcel? Once again Chris Van Allsburg explores the mysterious territory between fantasy and reality in an uncanny tale that will intrigue readers of all ages.
The Sweetest Fig doesn’t yet have a release date. Get all the latest sci-fi news with every issue of SciFiNow.
