After bringing beloved characters like Paddington and Willy Wonka to the big screen, director Paul King is now turning his attention to another iconic figure.
Sources tell Deadline that King has signed on to direct a new Prince Charming film for Disney, with Simon Farnaby and Jon Croker co-writing the screenplay alongside King.
Though plot details remain under wraps, the Prince Charming character has various origins in literature. However, in Disney’s world, he is typically known as the romantic interest of many famous princesses.
While he has often been associated with classic animated films such as Sleeping Beauty and Snow White, his most notable origin comes from Cinderella, where Prince Charming is the central love interest of the title character.
Notably, insiders have confirmed that this new film will not be directly tied to the story of Cinderella.
This project seems to be a natural fit for King, who has a successful track record with family-friendly films. He launched the Paddington franchise, which follows a young Peruvian bear on his adventures through London.
The first two films were widely acclaimed, and a third installment, Paddington in Peru, which King is executive producing, is in the works.
King’s latest directorial effort, Wonka, starring Timothée Chalamet, was another major success, grossing $634 million at the global box office.
Farnaby, a frequent collaborator of King’s, co-wrote the Paddington films and Wonka.
King and Farnaby are represented by Independent Talent Group, with King also repped by WME and Farnaby by UTA. Croker is represented by CAA, Grandview, and Jackoway Austen.
