Sony Pictures is in negotiations to land the Ridley Scott-directed new film adaptation of Robert Louis Stevenson’s 1883 novel “Treasure Island”.
Hugh Jackman has been enlisted to play Long John Silver in the film, which is expected to be Scott’s next project.
Scott’s usual home at 20th Century Studios reportedly got a first look at the package but passed, the Disney-owned studio citing they didn’t want to handle a competing pirate project with Disney’s own current push for a new “Pirates of the Caribbean” film.
The 18th-century coming-of-age story follows young Jim Hawkins as he finds a map to Captain Flint’s long-lost fortune and embarks on a perilous voyage aboard the Hispaniola.
Aboard the ship, Jim and the crew face mutiny led by the cunning, one-legged cook, Long John Silver – but ultimately outsmart the pirates to claim the gold. The work created many aspects of pirate lore.
Scott will direct the film from a script by Emmy-winning “Adolescence” writer Jack Thorne and produce alongside Michael Pruss. Thorne will executive produce.
The story has been adapted to the screen many times, though the last English language film adaptations were back in 1999 and Disney’s “Treasure Planet” back in 2002. More recently, Starz’s acclaimed piracy drama “Black Sails” serves as a prequel to the story.
Source: Deadline
