‘Brave’ Director Boards ‘Alice in Wonderland’-‘Peter Pan’ Prequel

[Oscar Rothman]

http://variety.com/2016/film/news/al...or-1201771726/

Brenda Chapman, who directed the Academy Award-winning animated film “Brave,” will make her live-action directing debut in “Come Away,” a prequel to “Alice in Wonderland” and “Peter Pan.”

Marissa Kate Goodhill has written the script, based on the premise that the Alice and Peter characters were a brother and sister who had to deal with their older brother perishing in an accident and their parents’ despair over the tragedy — leading them ultimately to journey to Wonderland for Alice and Neverland for Peter.

Both properties are in the public domain. Lewis Carroll’s “Alice in Wonderland” was published in 1865 while J.M. Barrie’s Peter Pan first appeared in the 1902 novel “The White Bird.”

Former Paramount production president Michelle Manning, Leesa Kahn and Andrea Keir are producing. “Brenda is a true visionary and her previous experience in perfectly creating imaginary worlds with such precise detail is exactly what is needed to bring to life Marissa’s enchanting script, which explores the universal theme of the importance of family,” the producers said.