It looks like Eloise is planning to book a suite at Netflix. The streamer has committed to a live-action family film based on Kay Thompson’s classic book series—keeping its recent streak of kidlit adaptations going. Filming will begin sometime this month. 

TV maven Amy Sherman-Palladino is directing this project, which has been brewing since MRC Film scooped up screen and stage rights to the publishing franchise in 2019. She co-wrote the script with Linda Woolverton (Beauty and the Beast) and Hannah Marks (Turtles All The Way Down).

On board to produce the film is Ryan Reynolds’ Maximum Effort banner, which was reported to be involved in the project last year. At the time, Eloise was actually in development for Paramount, where Maximum Effort has an ongoing first-look deal. But with the company’s recent merger and restructuring, the film went back on the market and landed at Netflix, according to Deadline. 

Starting their publishing run in 1955, Thompson’s books revolve around a mischievous six-year-old girl (to be played by Mae Schenk, pictured right) who resides in the iconic NYC hotel The Plaza with her nanny and pets. The Netflix film will add at least one new nefarious element: Reynolds has been tapped to portray an original villain character.

Sherman-Palladino is best known as the creator of small-screen hits like Gilmore Girls and The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel. And while Eloise is certainly younger-skewing, her trademark flair for witty dialogue, female-centric narratives and mid-century grandeur should align well with the source material.

Handmade Films will work in conjunction with MRC on the production. And MRC is also collaborating closely with Thompson’s estate, the illustrator Hilary Knight, as well as Simon & Schuster, the books’ longtime publisher.

Eloise has already made her way onto the screen in several previous iterations, including two Disney TV movies from 2003—Eloise at the Plaza and Eloise at Christmastime—and Eloise: The Animated Series, which aired on Starz Kids & Family in 2006.

(Mae Schenk image credit: Laura Eckel)