Apparently Steven Spielberg and DreamWorks has their collective eyes set on the John Wyndham novel “Chocky,” with Spielberg looking to make it his next directing project.
The 1968 novel centers on a boy who has an imaginary friend with whom he argues. As the father becomes suspicious, its clear that the boy is sharing his consciousness with an alien entity.
Spielberg’s next few projects are up in the air as his company has split with Paramount. The studio claims all Dreamworks developed properties are owned by Paramount. So it isn’t quite clear whats going to go with the new independent Dreamworks, and its new distributor, Universal, and what will stay.
Projects in development are “The Trial of the Chicago 7,” “Lincoln,” “Cowboys and Aliens,” “The 39 Clues,” and, my favorite, the “Tintin” trilogy. Out of all those, “Tintin” was in the forefront, but is now endangered by the fact that it lost half its financing.
“Chocky” was last adapted into a British television series in 1984.