Avengers: Endgame directors Anthony and Joe Russo recently signed on to produce the upcoming animated adaptation of Judy Blume's popular children's novel Superfudge for Disney+.
The new film will be produced by the Russo Brothers' AGBO production company, according to Deadline. The project will also feature a script from writing duo Amos Vernon and Nunzio Randazzo, who recently wrote the screenplay for Sony Pictures Animation's Hotel Transylvania: Transformania.
First published in 1980, Superfudge serves as the sequel to Blume's Tales of a Fourth Grade Nothing (1972) and Otherwise Known as Sheila The Great (1972), and is the third in the Fudge series. The book centers on 12-year-old Peter Hatcher, whose idyllic life in New York City is turned upside down when his mischievous 3-year-old brother Farley Drexel Hatcher -- aka Fudge -- runs away under his watch. Fudge's escape leads to an epic adventure for Peter and his parents as they search Manhattan for Fudge, while also adjusting to the newest member of the Hatcher family: a baby sister.
Fans of the book may recall that Superfudge was previously adapted into a live-action television series entitled Fudge, which ran for two seasons from 1995–1997. That series starred Jake Richardson as Peter Warren Hatcher and Luke Tarsitano as Farley Drexel "Fudge" Hatcher and followed a telefilm adaptation of Blume's fourth Fudge series novel Fudge-a-Mania, which aired in primetime in January 1995. The fifth book in the Fudge series, 2002's Double Fudge, has yet to be adapted for film or television.
In addition to helming Avengers: Endgame, the Russo Brothers have directed three other films in the Marvel Cinematic Universe: 2014's Captain America: The Winter Soldier, 2016's Captain America: Civil War and 2018's Avengers: Infinity War. The duo's production credits under their AGBO banner also include 21 Bridges (2019), as well as the upcoming Walt Disney Pictures film Hercules and the upcoming MGM film The Secret of NIMH.
Other books by Blume that have previously been adapted for film and television include Forever, Otherwise Known as Sheila the Great, and Tiger Eyes. A new live-action film adaptation of Blume's 1970 novel Are You There God? It's Me Margaret from director Kelly Fremon Craig is also currently in post-production. That project stars Abby Ryder Fortson as Margaret Simon, Rachel McAdams as Barbara Simon, Benny Safdie as Herb Simon, and Kathy Bates as Sylvia Simon. It's set for release on Sept. 16.
Disney+ has yet to reveal when Superfudge will start streaming on the platform.
Source: Deadline, Disney+