Winnie-the-Pooh Prequel Movie In the Works From Dreamworks Alums

A Winnie-the-Pooh prequel film is in the works. According to The Hollywood Reporter, the project, a prequel to A.A. Milne's classic book about the teddy bear, is currently in development with Mike de Seve (Madagascar, Monsters vs. Aliens) to direct and co-write the film along with John Reynolds (The Mr. Peabody & Sherman Show). According to the report, the film will follow the same general track as the film Paddington in that it will be followed by a television series. The prequel film is planned for a 2024 release.

"We're telling the surprising origin story of the 'silly young bear' and his friends, when they were still kids, in a way designed to connect with 21st-century kids," says Reynolds.

"I think this unsinkable young cub is totally relatable for today's kids, with his hell-bent craving for honey and his ludicrous schemes to get it, de Seve said.

De Seve's animation studio Baboon is teaming up with Winvest Group subsidiary IQI to produce the film. Winvest's CIO and Dreamworks alum Charlene Kelly and IQI founder and CSO of Winvest Khiow Hui Lim will executive produce.

"A.A. Milne's bear has aged gracefully in the last hundred years," Kelly said. "But what happened, back when, that made him and his pals who they are in the book? A heck of a big adventure, that's what – one that needs a big screen. Audiences will be transported to somewhere they never expected."

Winnie-the-Pooh has had kind of a wild year. The character entered the public domain earlier this year, opening the door for new projects with the character — including the viral horror take, Winnie-the-Pooh: Blood and Honey. That film, an R-rated project based on the story's characters is getting a one-day theatrical release from Fathom Events on February 15th. A sequel is also in development.

What do you think about a Winnie-the-Pooh prequel? Let us know your thoughts in the comment section!