Wild Things to be Unleashed

To the left (click to enlarge) is the first poster released for Where the Wild Things Are. Which was a children’s picture book published in 1963. The book is about the imaginary adventures of a young boy named Max, who is punished for “making mischief” by being sent to his room without supper. Max wears a distinctive wolf suit during his adventures and encounters various mythical creatures, the wild things. While the book is only ten sentences long, it is regarded as a classic of American illustrated children’s literature.

Many times in the past has the book been adapted or attempted to being adapted. Starting in 1973 with an animated version directed by Gene Deitch. In 1983, Walt Disney Pictures was set to produce a CGI version of the book, but never got production off the ground. Randall Woolf created a ballet version for the American Repertory Ballet in 1997, which subsequently toured the United States. A musical emerged in 2004 from a Chicago based group, Emerald City Theatre Company. 2006 saw a commemorative stamp depicting a Wild Thing in a series of “Favourite Children’s Book Animals”.

Fast forward to October 16th, 2009 and you will find yourself sitting in theatres. That is right; Where the Wild Things Are is being adapted for the big screen. Directed by Spike Jonze and written by Dave Eggers, the film stars Catherine Keener, Max Records, James Gandolfini, Angus Sampson, Forest Whitaker, Lauren Ambrose, Catherine O’Hare and Paul Dano. The film will combine live action, suitmation, animatronics and CGI.