According to Deadline, 20th Century Fox has struck a deal to adapt Chris Van Allsburg’s 1993 children’s book The Sweetest Fig to the screen with Paul Feig (Bridesmaids, Ghostbusters: Answer the Call) directing. Although Feig is best known for his adult comedies, The Sweetest Fig movie will not be his first family film as he previously directed the 2006 children’s movie Unaccompanied Minors.
Here’s the official synopses of the book from Amazon: “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 realized 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?
Van Allsburg’s illustrated children’s books have previously been adapted to the screen with Jumanji, The Polar Express, Zathura and Jumanji: Welcome to the Jungle. Van Allsburg will produce The Sweetest Fig movie alongside his film partners William Teitler, Mike Weber and Ted Field, with Feigco’s Jessie Henderson also producing.
Feig is also attached to the Emma Thompson-penned romantic comedy Last Christmas at Universal. His next film as director is the Anna Kendrick/Blake Lively thriller A Simple Favor, which opens on September 14.
