Gabor Csupo, co-founder of animation shop Klasky Csupo, has begun principal photography on his live-action directorial debut, Disney and Walden Media’s adaptation of Katherine Paterson’s Newbery Award-winning novel, Bridge to Terabithia. Being shot on location in Auckland, New Zealand, the film is the second fantasy lit adaptation for Disney and Walden, who joined forces to bring C.S. Lewis’ The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, The Witch and The Wardrobe to the screen.
Bridge to Terabithia will star Josh Hutcherson (Zathura, The Polar Express) as 11-year-old Jess Aarons, who finds a rival in the new girl at school, Leslie Burke, played by Anna Sophia Robb (Charlie and the Chocolate Factory). The two eventually become good friends and retreat to a nearby forest where they escape from their problems by inventing a magical kingdom called Terabithia. The pic will also star Zooey Deschanel (Hitchhikers Guide to the Galaxy, Elf) and Robert Patrick (Walk the Line, Terminator 2: Judgement Day).
Emmy winner Csupo has produced big-screen expansions of the hit Klasky Csupo TV productions Rugrats and The Wild Thornberrys, but has yet to direct a theatrical feature. Like Narnia director Andrew Adamson, who previously co-directed DreamWorks’ Shrek, his vast experience with animation should come in handy as he deals with all the animated creatures that inhabit the film’s title kingdom.
Terabithia will feature a heaping helping of digital visual effects by New Zealand’s Weta Digital, the Oscar-winning shop behind Peter Jackson’s King Kong, The Lord of the Rings trilogy and The Chronicles of Narnia.
Bridge to Terabithia is slated for an early 2007 release via Disney. International sales and distribution will be handled by Summit Ent.
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