On the heels of Harry Potter, Eragon and The City of Ember, another popular children’s fantasy series is ready to jump to the big screen. On January 23, New Line Cinema will release Inkheart, based on the 2003 novel of the same name by Cornelia Funke. That novel, about a girl who discovers that her father has the ability to bring fictional characters out of books, was the first in what became the Inkheart Trilogy. It was followed by Inkspell in 2005 and Inkdeath in October 2008.
Directed by Iain Softley (K-PAX), the film stars Brendan Fraser as Mo Folchart and Eliza Bennett (Nanny McPhee) as his daughter Meggie. Helen Mirren and Paul Bettany also star. Funke, who lives with her children in California, was involved in the film as one of its producers. “I had meaningful consultation, which in Hollywood means they don’t have to follow my
Helen Mirren as Elinor (l.) and Eliza Bennett as Meggie in a scene from Inkheart. Photo: Murray Close. |
advice but at least they listen,” she told Children’s Bookshelfearlier this fall. Funke is a friend and fan of Fraser, and based the character of Mo Folchart on him. Fraser narrated the audiobook editions of Funke’s Inkspell and Dragon Rider.
Scholastic is offering four film tie-ins: a movie tie-in edition, which arrives with a 100,000-copy first printing, as well as a movie storybook, junior novelization and a storybook, Farid’s Story. Funke’s Inkheart trilogy has sold more than 2.5 million copies in the U.S. and more than 5.5 million copies globally.
