“The Witches” Remake Set In Alabama?
Back in June came word that filmmaker Robert Zemeckis was in final negotiations to direct a new film adaptation of Roald Dahl’s classic 1973 novel “The Witches” for Warner Bros. Pictures and ImageMovers.
The story follows a seven-year-old boy who has a run-in with real-life witches. Zemeckis will pen the script while Alfonso Cuaron, Guillermo del Toro and Jack Rapke will produce.
The work was previously adapted in 1990 with Anjelica Huston as the head witch and at the time it was said Zemeckis’ version will be more rooted in the original source material.
That may not be the case today says
Omega Underground who claims the film’s UK setting is being ditched and the bulk of the Zemeckis and Kenya Barris-scripted film will be taking place in the American South, mainly Alabama.
Additionally, Warners is aiming to cast a young 8-10-year-old African-American actor to play the leading role of Luke who will be renamed and it’s expected the Grandmother role will go to an older African-American actress.
The side character of bully Bruno will be there, as will pet mouse Daisy who will actually be a young girl that had been previously turned into a mouse by a witch.
Filming is said to be starting up next April at Warner Bros. Studios Leavesden in England, and later somewhere in the United States though the state hasn’t been named yet.
