A little while back, it was reported that Warner Bros had optioned the children’s book The Invention of Hugo Cabret for screenwriter John Logan (The Aviator, Sweeney Todd) to adapt and auteur Martin Scorsese to direct. European news outlets went so far as to suggest that the film would start shooting this coming spring in Paris and London [Slash Film].
Variety is now confirming the reports. The start date is now set at June 1st. Scorsese is looking to direct the Logan script, produced by Graham King, who was on board with Scorsese for The Departed.
Here’s the book synopsis:
Orphan, clock keeper, and thief, Hugo lives in the walls of a busy Paris train station, where his survival depends on secrets and anonymity. But when his world suddenly interlocks with an eccentric, bookish girl and a bitter old man who runs a toy booth in the station, Hugo’s undercover life, and his most precious secret, are put in jeopardy. A cryptic drawing, a treasured notebook, a stolen key, a mechanical man, and a hidden message from Hugo’s dead father form the backbone of this intricate, tender, and spellbinding mystery.
The plot sounds interesting enough and the kid protagonist role could be a meaty one; the kind of role that’ll catapult a young actor to stardom, provided a good performance is put in. With Scorsese behind the lens, it shouldn’t be too hard. Then again, the man’s never gone down the kid movie route, which makes all of this that much more exciting.