Matthew Warchus (Matilda: The Musical) is set to script the Chitty Chitty Bang Bang reimagining in the works from Amazon MGM Studios and EON Productions, Amazon announced on Thursday.
Warchus will work from a script by Enda Walsh (Small Things Like These). The film, which is in early stages of development, is set to build on EON and Amazon MGM’s partnership on the James Bond franchise.
Originally conceived by Bond author Ian Fleming as a bedtime story for his son Casper, his 1964 novel Chitty Chitty Bang Bang was previously adapted into a 1967 film directed by Ken Hughes off a script by Roald Dahl, Hughes, and Richard Maibaum. The story is a whimsical family adventure following inventor Caractacus Potts (Dick Van Dyke), his two children, and Truly Scrumptious (Sally Anne Howes) — daughter of candy factory owner, Lord Scrumptious (James Robertson Justice)— as they restore an old car, which turns out to have magical abilities, including flight and water navigation. Together, they embark on a fantastical journey to the fictional country of Vulgaria to rescue kidnapped children from the tyrannical Baron and Baroness Bomburst (Gert Fröbe, Anna Quayle). Cubby Broccoli produced the film, with Ken Adam handling the production design, and the Sherman Brothers penning its Oscar-nominated title song.
A two-time BAFTA nominee, Warchus’ credits as director include Matilda: The Musical and Pride starring Bill Nighy, Imelda Staunton and Dominic West. He is repped by The Agency.
Also a BAFTA nominee, Walsh is best known for scripting Cillian Murphy’s Small Things Like These and for co-writing Steve McQueen’s Hunger. He also worked on Lynne Ramsays’ forthcoming Die, My Love and is repped by Curtis Brown Group.
We were first to the news of development on the new film.
