The Weinstein Company has secured all rights (except theatrical) in the U.S. to Red Arrow International’s “Roald Dahl’s Esio Trot”.
Produced by Emmy® award-winner Hilary Bevan Jones (“The Girl in the Café”) at Red Arrow’s Endor Productions (“The Escape Artist”), the screen adaptation of the Roald Dahl classic is a heart-warming love story written by Oscar nominee Richard Curtis (“Four Weddings and a Funeral”, “Love Actually”) and Paul Mayhew-Archer (“The Vicar of Dibley”) for BBC One. Starring Dame Judi Dench (“Shakespeare in Love”; “Skyfall”) and Dustin Hoffman (“Rain Man”; “Kramer vs. Kramer”), and directed by Emmy® award-winner Dearbhla Walsh (“Little Dorrit”), “Roald Dahl’s Esio Trot” is currently in postproduction.
Roald Dahl (“Charlie and the Chocolate Factory”, “Matilda”) is one of the most enduring and successful children’s authors ever. To date, his books have sold over 100 million copies and continue to be loved and sold the world over. In “Roald Dahl’s Esio Trot”, Mr. Hoppy (Dustin Hoffman) devises a wildly ingenious plot to win over the love of his neighbor, Mrs. Silver (Dame Judi Dench), involving a cryptic riddle and no fewer than a hundred tortoises.
TWC Co-Chairman Harvey Weinstein commented: “Roald Dahl is one of the most revered children’s authors in history, so needless to say we’re delighted to be on board with this project. Dustin Hoffman and Judi Dench will do a phenomenal job embodying his beloved, one-of-a-kind characters.”
Caroline Kusser, Senior Vice President, North America at Red Arrow International: “We have Academy Award winning actors, a producer and a director with Emmy’s behind them, and the phenomenal Richard Curtis and Paul Mayhew-Archer penning the script – it couldn’t be a better package!”
The deal for “Roald Dahl’s Esio Trot” was negotiated by Robert Walak, President/MD Europe, Production, Acquisitions and TV, Negeen Yazdi, EVP, Acquisitions and Co-Productions, and Michal Steinberg, EVP, Business/Legal Affairs & Acquisitions for TWC with Caroline Kusser, SVP, North America at Red Arrow International on behalf of the filmmakers.
About “Roald Dahl’s Esio Trot”
Mr. Hoppy, played by Dustin Hoffman, is a retired bachelor, who harbors a secret passion for his neighbor, the lovely Mrs. Silver, Dame Judi Dench. Unfortunately she lavishes all her affection on another… Alfie, her pet tortoise. Mr. Hoppy yearns to talk to Mrs. Silver, but tongue-tied and shy, his attempts always end in disaster. Mrs. Silver’s greatest wish is for her tortoise Alfie to grow a little bigger. All seems lost for Mr. Hoppy until he has the brightest, most devious of ideas. Will Mr. Hoppy’s wildly ingenious plot win the love of his lady?
The Weinstein Company
The Weinstein Company (TWC) is a multimedia production and distribution company launched in October 2005 by Bob and Harvey Weinstein, the brothers who founded Miramax Films in 1979. TWC also encompasses Dimension Films, the genre label founded in 1993 by Bob Weinstein, which has released such popular franchises as SCREAM, SPY KIDS and SCARY MOVIE. Together TWC and Dimension Films have released a broad range of mainstream, genre and specialty films that have been commercial and critical successes. During Harvey and Bob’s tenure at Miramax and TWC, they have received 348 Oscar nominations and won 82 Academy Awards.
TWC boasts an active television production division led by former Miramax Films Co-President of Production Meryl Poster. TWC garnered nine Emmy nominations in 2013. The Weinstein Company Television produces the reality powerhouse Project Runway, prepping for its 13th season on Lifetime; with its spin-off series and critically-acclaimed Project Runway All Stars, hosted by Alyssa Milano and Project Runway Under The Gunn, hosted by Tim Gunn which is currently on air. TWC series that were produced in 2013 include Mob Wives Season 4 which VH1 has green lit for Season 5, Million Dollar Shoppers for Lifetime, Rodeo Girls for A&E and Trailer Park: Welcome to Myrtle Manor Season 2 for TLC. Scripted project currently in production is John Fusco’s historical action-adventure epic Marco Polo. Announced scripted projects in development include Ten Commandments a 10 part event series with each episode to be helmed by a different A-list director and focusing on one commandment and an adaptation of Daniel Stashower’s bestselling Civil War-era spy thriller The Hour Of Peril. TWC also developed Amy Sherman Palladino’s The Nanny Diaries for ABC and produced the Peabody award-winning HBO series The No. 1 Ladies’ Detective Agency, directed by Anthony Minghella.