After "American Gods" and "Lucifer," Neil Gaiman's next writing that is getting the Hollywood treatment is his children fantasy tale "Fortunately, the Milk." According to The Hollywood Reporter, the film adaptation will have both live action and animated elements.
As detailed by The Guardian, the adventure-filled story follows a dad, who was hurled into a journey where he travelled through time, met aliens, befriended dinosaurs like Professor Steg and even gone on an extraordinary intergalactic jaunt after just going out to get milk.
In the book, he tells his amazing quest to his kids to explain why he wasn't back on time to bring them milk. It wasn't revealed if the dad really went through such colorful venture or if he was simply imaginative enough to concoct such elaborate and nifty excuse.
A passage from the book as acquired by Variety reads: "I bought the milk," said my father. "I walked out of the corner shop, and heard a noise like this: t h u m m t h u m m. I looked up and saw a huge silver disc hovering in the air above Marshall Road."
Award-winning "Pirates of the Caribbean" star Johnny Depp is said to have signed up for the project. However, it remains to be seen which role he will take on. While the dad was the center of the story, Professor Steg also factored greatly in the tale.
Depp will be quite a presence in the big screen going forward. After a stellar performance as the Irish hoodlum Whitey in the recently-released movie "Black Mass" based on the book of the same name by Gerard O'Neill and Dick Lehr, he will be in several more movies.
He will star in comedy horror "Yoga Hosers," making it a family affair by joining his daughter Lily-Rose Depp. He will suit up once again as the memorable Captain Jack Sparrow in "Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Men Tell No Tales," and will be back as Mad Hatter in the fantasy "Alice Through the Looking Glass."
Several more people are attached to the "Fortunately, the Milk" film adaptation. Bret McKenzie, who is best known for his work in the New Zealand-originating comedy "Flight of the Conchords," is in charge of the script. Edgar Wright, who is busy with the Ansel Elgort-starrer "Baby Driver," will helm the film.
The animation bit will be taken care of by Australia-based visual-effects studio Animal Logic, which is lauded for its outstanding work in "The Lego Movie." No release date has been set yet.