Michael Chabon is best known in literary circles as an award-winning novelist. So far two of his books have gotten the big screen treatment, and while one was beautifully realized (Wonder Boys) the other was disastrously dull (Mysteries of Pittsburgh). Despite the failings of the latter adaptation (FYI: the book is wonderful and complicated), Chabon has long been courted by Hollywood as he has built a reputation for character-driven tales that manage to be whimsical yet bittersweet, and always tender. To that end, he contributed to the story development of Spider-Man 2 back in 2004, and has recently co-written Disney’s John Carter adaptation alongside Oscar-winning Pixar director Andrew Stanton. Since then Chabon’s been called upon to punch up the script for Disney’s Snow White revision, now titled The Order of the Seven. And now, the House of Mouse has finally inked a deal with Chabon to put his unique blend of dark humor and pointed pathos onto their next theme park inspired feature Magic Kingdom.
Though plot specifics are currently under lock and key, we do know this family adventure will take a cue from Night at the Museum’s playbook, revealing the magic that brings the park to life after dark. Of course, Disney’s other park-inspired movies have been a mixed bag. The Eddie Murphy-fronted Haunted Mansion and The Country Bears were financial flops and critically reviled, but Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl proved a surprise success among critics and audiences alike and launched a franchise that’s still rolling along. To that end, it would make sense to mimic Night at the Museum‘s concept, which set a goofy everyman amidst a plethora of wacky characters all confined in one of the most stellar museums in the world. Apply that formula to a Disney theme park and the sky is the limit as to who could appear! (Princesses, and pirates, and bears – oh my!) It’s certainly a concept that could spin out of control becoming a mess of sloppy cameo appearances of celebrities and Disney characters in a merciless cash-grab. But you know why I have faith in Magic Kingdom becoming something truly wonderous? Two words: Jon Favreau.
Favreau reportedly walked away from Iron Man 3 to score the director’s chair of Magic, declaring:
“Between the theme parks and the movies, the Disney iconography was probably the first set of archetypes that I was exposed to. Walt was able to expose me as a child to the full array of emotions, including fear and sorrow. Those movies and attractions haunted my dreams and made a deep impression on me as a child. When I first heard about the [Magic Kingdom film] project, I was on my way to visit Disneyland with my family. I took notes and had no problem filling a book with all the ideas that this concept offered, even on first blush. Since then, I was lucky enough to be given a tour of Imagineering by Tony Baxter, who knows just about everything there is to know about Disneyland. He pulled original concept art from the archives for me and exposed me to Walt’s original vision.”
My hope for this project lies within this lengthy quote. Jon Favreau is a director who often selects projects that he holds a deep personal passion for. And he is uniquely skilled at communicating this enthusiasm onto screen. He made Elf more than a Christmas movie adults could tolerate; he made it an endearing story about the power of joy that practically emanated with mirth. Then with Zathura, he boldly blended practical effects and computer-generated effects together, and created one of the best (and most underrated) kid adventures of the past 20 years! And with Iron Man he took a chance on a brilliant but notoriously risky actor to craft an extraordinary tale of power and responsibility. Each of these films practically sizzles with life! And it’s this kind of passion and enthusiasm that has me eagerly awaiting Cowboys & Aliens, which appears to blend the sci-fi and western genres in a brazen way.
Now, pair my faith in Favreau with my respect for Chabon’s character work, and I think Magic Kingdom could be far more interesting than your typical family-friendly fare. These are two men that take risks and craft compelling portraits out of strange stories. So, from the mind-boggling concept that Disney parks come to life at night, I expect these two will develop an adventure that is in turns funny, frightening, and ultimately heartstring-pulling. And personally, I couldn’t be more excited to see what they come up with.
Are you encouraged about Disney’s latest theme-park feature’s latest addition? Do you think Chabon and Favreau will make a good collaborative team?