Enid Blyton’s The Magic Faraway Tree is being adapted for the big screen

STUDIOCANAL today announced that they are in development with Neal Street Productions on Enid Blyton’s Magic Faraway Tree. Simon Farnaby (PADDINGTON 2) is attached to write the adaptation. Pippa Harris and Nicolas Brown from Neal Street Productions will produce.

MAGIC FARAWAY TREE is a STUDIOCANAL Production representative of the studio’s ambition in the family franchise market following the success of PADDINGTON 2, currently the number 1 family film at the UK box office, adding another beloved children’s classic to the slate.

Writer Simon Farnaby said “The Magic Faraway Tree books are a firework display of the imagination. The pages are lit up with wonderful characters, humour, peril and adventure. Most homes have a well worn jam fingerprinted volume somewhere on their shelves. I’m very much looking forward to bringing the likes of the Old Saucepan Man and Dame Washalot to the big screen for fans both old and new.”

Enid Blyton is one of the world’s best-selling authors with sales in excess of 500 million copies and translations in over 40 languages.

Danny Perkins CEO STUDIOCANAL UK confirmed the news “Enid Blyton’s work is timeless. Like many, I have loved her writing since childhood and it’s incredible to develop such an expansive project with first class partners Neal Street Productions and Simon Farnaby. Not unlike the work of Michael Bond CBE, we very much look forward to bringing enduring family classics to audiences worldwide.”

MAGIC FARAWAY TREE will be the first-ever feature film based on Enid Blyton’s MAGIC FARAWAY TREE series.

Each story takes place in the enchanted wood in which THE MAGIC FARAWAY TREE grows – tall enough to reach the clouds and large enough to contain small houses. At the top of the tree is an ever-rotating series of fantastic worlds, everything from the Land of Birthdays to the Land of Topsy-Turvy. Discovered by our child heroes, the tree and wood provide the background to their adventures.

Written between 1939 and 1951, The Magic Faraway Tree series is made up of four novels: THE ENCHANTED WOOD, THE MAGIC FARAWAY TREE, THE FOLK OF THE FARAWAY TREE and UP THE FARAWAY TREE. All have been optioned by Neal Street Productions, from Hachette Children’s Group, brand owners of Enid Blyton Entertainment, for development with STUDIOCANAL.

Pippa Harris added “As a child I was entranced by the magical world created by Blyton, and it’s terrific to have the chance to introduce her beloved characters to a new generation of children. I know that by partnering with STUDIOCANAL and Simon Farnaby, we will be make sure that Moonface, Silky, Dame Washalot and Saucepan Man are in very safe hands.”