Just a few weeks back we were talking about how HOW TO TRAIN YOUR DRAGON trilogy writer/director Dean DeBlois was attached to direct a MICRONAUTS movie for Hasbro. Now it looks like that’s not all he has on plate. Deadline is reporting that a new TREASURE ISLAND movie is being developed for Universal Pictures and Mandeville Films, based on Robert Louis Stevenson’s 1883 novel, and Dean is set to direct that film as well. The script will be written by Evan Spiliotopoulos (BEAUTY AND THE BEAST) with DeBlois collaborating on the story. The Mandeville Films duo of Todd Lieberman and David Hoberman will be producing the project for Universal Pictures. Dean’s MICRONAUTS movie was scheduled for a June 4, 2021 release, so TREASURE ISLAND will likely come after that.
Treasure Island tells the story of young Jim Hawkins who is torn between his loyalty to his benefactors and his affection for Pirate Captain Long John Silver as they seek a buried pirate treasure. The three notable movies on Treasure Island include Victor Fleming’s 1934 movie starring Wallace Beery and Jackie Cooper in the respective roles of Long John Silver and Jim Hawkins. Then there’s Walt Disney’s 1950 version with Robert Newton and Bobby Driscoll and the 1972 adaptation which starred Orson Welles as Silver. There were also two TV versions: TBS’ 1990 version starring Charlton Heston, Christian Bale, Oliver Reed and Christopher Lee and Syfy’s 2012 edition with Eddie Izzard, Donald Sutherland, Elijah Wood which was nominated for two Primetime Emmys including TV movie costumes and cinematography.
Senior Vice President Alex Young will oversee the project on behalf of Mandeville Films. Universal’s Director of Development Lexi Barta will oversee the project on behalf of the studio.
If you’re not familiar with Mandeville Films, you should be. In 2017 alone they generated almost $2 billion in worldwide box office with BEAUTY AND THE BEAST, WONDER and STRONGER, and all three films were critical favorites and major award contenders… in short, they know what they’re doing. Their next release is AERONAUTS starring Eddie Redmayne and Felicity Jones hitting theaters in December.
Dean DeBlois started his directing career by co-directing LILO & STITCH in 2002, then co-directing HOW TO TRAIN YOUR DRAGON in 2010, and solo directing the two sequels. With MICRONAUTS scheduled for Summer 2021, TREASURE ISLAND would be Dean’s second live action movie. Stay tuned as new develops.
If you live in the Dallas area, you could meet Dean DeBlois during a rare public appearance on November 23-24 at Dallas Comic Show.
Born and raised in Dallas, Mark has been a movie critic since 1994, with reviews featured in print, radio and National TV. In 2001 he started the Entertainment section of the Herorealm website, where he contributed film reviews and celebrity interviews until 2004. After three years of service there, he started Bigfanboy.com, which has become one of the Dallas film community's leading information websites. Bigfanboy hosts several movie screenings in the Texas area, and works closely with film and TV studios and promotional partners to host exciting events and contests. The site also features a variety of rare celebrity and filmmaker interviews, and Bigfanboy.com regularly covers the film festival circuit as well. In addition to Hollywood reporting, Mark has worked for many years as an advertising and sci-fi/comic book artist. Clients have included Lucasfilm Ltd., Topps Trading Cards, The Dallas Mavericks and The Dallas Stars. From 2002 until 2015 he managed the Dallas Comic Con, Sci-Fi Expo and Fan Days events in the DFW area. He currently catalogs rare comic books and movie memorabilia for Heritage Auctions, and runs the Dallas Comic Show conventions, but remains an avid moviegoer and cinema buff. 
