Marielle Heller already has her follow-up to 2024’s “Nightbitch” lined up: “The Comebacker,” an adaptation of Dave Eggers‘ short story, with Tom Hanks (and possibly Bad Bunny and Colman Domingo) set to star. But Deadline reports that the director is in the midst of lining up another new project, and this one is a hell of an eyebrow-raiser.
According to Deadline, Heller will team up with Amazon MGM Studios for a live-action movie based on the 1992 animated film “FernGully: The Last Rainforest.” The ’90s favorite follows a band of fairies in an Australian rainforest who accidentally shrink a logger to their size, and team up together to protect their ecosystem from the logging industry and a pollution entity named Hexxus. Robin Williams, Tim Curry, Christian Slater, and Samantha Mathis led the voice cast in the animated film, but with this one being live-action, anyone could star. One may only imagine who Heller has in mind here.
Stacey Sher will produce “FernGully” via her Shiny Penny banner, along with Susan Ursitti-Sheinberg, John Sheinberg, and Matt Feige via Sheinberg Feigo Organization (SFO Entertainment), and Heller and Leah Holzer via Defiant By Nature. Moonli Singha is also on board as executive producer.
Helller will direct her own script for “FernGully,” which she’s done before on “Nightbitch” and her 2015 debut, “The Diary Of A Teenage Girl.” Along with potential casting, one also wonders: how heavily will Heller’s version of “FernGully” lean into the animated film’s musical component? The 1992 film features songs by Elton John, Raffi, Sheena Easton, Curry, Williams, Johnny Clegg, and another song penned by Jimmy Buffett. Would this “FernGully” even be “FernGully” without the cast breaking out into song? Something to ponder on as this project develops..
But “The Comebacker” still comes first for Heller. Sony Pictures will release that one, with a 2027 theatrical release in the cards. Stay tuned for more details on Heller’s next two films as they arrive.
