Amazon MGM Studios is developing a new live-action/CG-animated film adaptation of Beverly Cleary’s book The Mouse and the Motorcycle. 

David Guion and Michael Handelman, who both served as writers on Slumberland and Night at the Museum: Secret of the Tomb, are writing the script for this new family film. HarperCollins first published The Mouse and the Motorcycle in 1965, and it has sold more than 20 million copies worldwide to date. Cleary also went on to write two more books in the series—Runaway Ralph (1970) and Ralph S. Mouse (1982).  

Amazon MGM’s four-quadrant film treatment will revolve around a mouse and a boy who connect over a toy motorcycle that comes to life. David Hoberman (Chip ‘n Dale: Rescue Rangers, Muppets Most Wanted) is producing the pic under his Hobie Films shingle. Head of HarperCollins Productions Caroline Fraser (Carmen Sandiego) is also a producer on the project, with Guion, Handelman and Julie Meschko (who has assisted Hoberman on several films, including The Kid & I) attached as executive producers. 

Guion and Handelman have already co-written another adaptation for HarperCollins: Columbia Pictures’ live-action/animated film Harold and the Purple Crayon, which premieres on August 2. The publishing company’s past book-to-screen successes include Pretzel and the Puppies (Apple TV+) and Carmen Sandiego (Netflix). 

Meanwhile, Amazon MGM has been busy lining up several other kids content projects lately, including last month’s deal to develop a live-action Totally Spies! series that Will Ferrell will produce. The studio is also working on an animated series based on Scholastic’s Wings of Fire fantasy book franchise, which has sold more than 27 million copies worldwide.