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It looks like the film Still I Rise has finally been given a new name: Learning to Fly.  The name of the film was called into question months ago when it was called Steel Town for a while.  This is an original story about two strong women, both mothers, who channel their frustration into action and join forces to transform an inner-city school. They want to make a difference in education and the lives of their children.

Walden Media keeps acquiring the rights to fantastic properties, and this one could prove to be another winner for them.  Where in the World is Carmen Sandiego? is an educational computer game series that is used in classrooms across the country.  It’s inspired a children’s game show, that was kind of like Jeopardy! in format, and featured the a Capella group Rockapella doing vocals for the theme song.  There was also a more popular cartoon series called Where on Earth is Carmen Sandiego?

Now the property is in development for the silver screen as a potential starring vehicle for Jennifer Lopez, though she’s currently only attached to produce the film.

Here’s the logline for the film: When the ACME agency’s greatest detective Carmen Sandiego becomes the world’s greatest thief, it’s up to her former partner to follow her clues and track her down. Their cat-and-mouse game leads the partner to confront a greater mystery: Is Carmen really a thief or a hero?

The film will be produced by Jennifer Lopez and her Nuyorican Productions’ partners Benny Medina and Simon Fields, and Underground Films’ Nick Osbourne, Trevor Engelson and Devin Andre. Walden Media CEO Michael Bostick and SVP Evan Turner are steering the property after it was acquired from Hougton Mifflin. The property fits into Walden Media’s mandate to create properties that challenge kids; Carmen Sandiego is used as a teaching tool in more than half of elementary schools nationwide. (via)

Two of the films from Walden Media that are coming out next year have just gotten release dates.

Formerly titled Us & Them, Parental Guidance stars Billy Crystal and Bette Midler as grandparents who struggle to cope with their grandkids’ modern ways when they’re left to care for them. The duo forge a new bond with their grandkids and set out to repair a long-standing rift with their daughter, Alice, to be played by Marisa Tomei.  It will be released on November 21, 2012.

Surfer Jay Moriarity sets out to ride the Northern California break known as Mavericks. Of Men and Mavericks will detail how Moriarty’s persistence, discipline and potential transform Frosty from a reluctant mentor into a father figure. As their bond strengthens, Moriarty learns to push his limits.  It will be released on October 26, 2012.

Elisabeth Shue and Abigail Spencer are joining the cast of the surfing drama ‘Of Men and Mavericks.’

Of Men and Mavericks follows a chapter in the real-life story of young Northern Californian Jay Moriarty, a world champion surfer and adventurer who made his reputation surfing Mavericks north of Half Moon Bay before dying in a diving accident at age 22.

Spencer will play the role of Frosty’s wife, while Shue will play Moriarty’s mother.

Walden Media’s film Of Men and Mavericks has landed a studio.  Fox 2000 has joined to co-finance and distribute the film domestically.

Of Men and Mavericks follows a chapter in the real-life story of young Northern Californian Jay Moriarty, a world champion surfer and adventurer who made his reputation surfing Mavericks north of Half Moon Bay before dying in a diving accident at age 22.

It will detail how Moriarty’s persistence, discipline and potential transform Frosty from a reluctant mentor into a father figure. As their bond strengthens, Moriarty learns to push his limits.

Tom Everett Scott is set to play Marisa Tomei’s husband in 20th Century Fox and Walden Media’s Us & Them, a comedic tale about old-school versus new-school parenting.

“Us and Them” stars Billy Crystal and Bette Midler as grandparents who struggle to cope with their grandkids’ modern ways when they’re left to care for them. The duo forge a new bond with their grandkids and set out to repair a long-standing rift with their daughter, Alice, to be played by Marisa Tomei.

The latest book from Walden Pond Press is Breadcrumbs by Anne Ursu, with illustrations by Erin Mcguire.  Here’s the description from Amazon.com: Once upon a time, Hazel and Jack were best friends. But that was before he stopped talking to her and disappeared into a forest with a mysterious woman made of ice. Now it’s up to Hazel to go in after him. Inspired by Hans Christian Andersen’s “The Snow Queen,” Breadcrumbs is a story of the struggle to hold on, and the things we leave behind.

Reviews
Like a fairy-tale heroine, Hazel traverses the woods without a breadcrumb trail to save a boy who may not want to be saved in this multi-layered, artfully crafted, transforming testament to the power of friendship. (Kirkus Reviews)

The evocative magical landscape, superbly developed characters (particularly dreamy, self-doubting, determined Hazel and lost Jack), and the piercing sadness of a faltering childhood friendship give this delicately written fantasy wide and lingering appeal. (Bulletin of the Center for Children’s Books)

The creepy fantasyland that Hazel traverses uses bits from other Andersen tales to create a story that…is beautifully written and wholly original. It’s certainly the only children’s fantasy around where Minnesota Twins All-Star catcher Joe Mauer figures into the plot. (Publishers Weekly)

“Devastatingly brilliant and beautiful…Ursu has sculpted a rich and poignant adventure that brings readers deep into the mysterious, magical, and sometimes frightening forests of childhood and change. Breadcrumbs is one of those rare novels that turned me on my head then sat on my heart and refused to budge.” (Ingrid Law, Newbery Honor-winning author of Savvy)

“This is a lyrical book, a lovely book, and a smart book; it dares us to see stories as spreading more widely, and running more deeply, than we had imagined.” (Gary Schmidt, Newbery Honor-winning author of The Wednesday Wars)

Elizabeth Chandler has been hired to work on the script for the adaptation of the young-adult fantasy book Savvy for Walden Media.

Ingrid Law wrote the bestselling 2008 novel, which was published by Walden’s book division and honored with the Newberry award. It concerns Mibs Beaumont, who is about to turn thirteen years old — the age when members of her family receive their own special power, known as a “savvy.” But when her father is sent into a coma after a bad accident two days before her birthday and Mibs takes off to help him, she ends up on a wild adventure with her friends and equally savvy siblings.

Denise Di Novi (Crazy, Stupid, Love) and Alison Greenspan (Ramona and Beezus) are producing. Screenwriter Karen Janszen (Dolphin Tale) previously worked on the project.

Walden recently produced Journey to the Center of the Earth and The Chronicles of Narnia: The Voyage of the Dawn Treader. The company has Learning to Fly in production and Journey 2: The Mysterious Island hitting theaters in February.

-via

This week sees the release of a new book from Walden Pond Press: Guys Read – Thriller. Here’s the synopsis from Amazon.com:

A body on the tracks

A teenage terrorist

A mysterious wish-granting machine

The world’s worst private detective

The second volume in the Guys Read Library of Great Reading is chock-full of mystery, intrigue, and nefarious activity. Featuring some of the best writers around, and compiled by certified guy Jon Scieszka, Guys Read: Thriller is a pulse-pounding collection of brand-new short stories, each one guaranteed to keep you riveted until the final page.

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I can’t believe that I hadn’t heard of this until now.  A direct to video sequel to 2010′s smash-hit (?), Tooth Fairy, which starred Dwayne Johnson, Billy Crystal and Julie Andrews, has been in production.  Tooth Fairy 2 stars Larry the Cable Guy (Cars 2) as Larry Guthrie, a man who I have no doubt will at some point become the Tooth Fairy to learn a lesson.

According to the IMDB listing, Tooth Fairy 2 is scheduled to be released on video in February 2012.  It was directed by Alex Zamm, who’s previous direct to video sequels include Beverly Hills Chihuahua 2, Dr. Dolittle: Million Dollar Mutts and Inspector Gadget 2.  He’s currently in pre-production on a live action feature film version of the Hannah-Barbera cartoon Hong Kong Phooey which features Eddie Murphy as the voice of the title character and should hit theaters in 2014.

The photo with the story is a badly photoshopped image that I created for the story and does not represent actual promotional material for the film.

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