According to the European media (via AuteursDaily), Martin Scorsese is set to start shooting an adaptation of Brian Selznick’s best-selling children’s historical fiction book “The Invention Of Hugo Cabret” this May in Paris before moving onto London.
The project originally had “Ice Age” helmer Chris Wedge attached to direct an adaptation penned by “The Aviator” scribe John Logan before that fell through last year. Graham King was reported to be producing alongside Johnny Depp’s production company, Infinitum Nihil for Warner Brothers with King, if still on board, possibly being the additional link to Scorsese having produced his 2006 film “The Departed.”
But this is odd. No word in the trades yet and Scorsese jumps over three or four other projects in the works? Hmm, we’re sure either the trades will respond or someone will debunk this story, but either way, news of Scorsese’s participation comes out of nowhere.
Meanwhile, the book was first released in 2007 and follows an orphaned boy who secretly lives in the walls of a busy Paris train station looking after the clocks and gets caught up in a mystery adventure when he attempts to repair a mechanical man. Not only does the story feature fantastical elements, it is also set in 1931 which would mean Scorsese would presumably have to create such a world.
Are Warner Brother’s really going to miss the ‘Harry Potter’ franchise this much? Scorsese is a busy man and it surely would have taken a sizable paycheck to draw him away from his schedule on something like this. The director has “Shutter Island” and a George Harrison doc set for release this year, promised updates on his Frank Sinatra biopic in February, has his HBO series “Boardwalk Empire” beginning – though his involvement in that will probably be minimal. He also has his 17th century film about two Jesuit priests, “Silence,” hopefully still on the horizon, not to mention another mob film with Robert DeNiro, “I Heard You Paint Houses” on the docket for some time in the future.
We’re interested to see what Scorsese can do this adaptation but have to admit we’d much prefer the director tackle “Sinatra” or “Silence.”
