‘Hawkeye’ Directors Bert & Bertie To Direct Big Thunder Mountain Movie For Disney, LuckyChap and Scott Free
EXCLUSIVE: Disney’s next feature film based on one of its classic theme park rides looks to be getting ready to leave the station as sources tell Deadline Bert & Bertie are in negotiations to direct a pic based on the Big Thunder Mountain attraction at Disney theme parks. LuckyChap Entertainment and Scott Free are producing, with Kieran and Michele Mulroney writing the script.
A mine cart ride set in a mining town where gold is discovered, the original Big Thunder Mountain opened in 1979 in Disneyland in Anaheim, with another version opening soon after at the Magic Kingdom in Orlando. It is one of the more recognizable coasters in all of Disney’s parks, also appearing in the Tokyo and Paris locations.
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Plot details are unknown at this time, but Disney always has been high on figuring out ways to turn its popular theme park attractions into big feature films, even if the ride isn’t based on a Disney movie. The best example is the Pirates of the Caribbean franchise, which began as a fun summer movie and turned into a blockbuster franchise that the studio still is developing new films for today. Other examples include the recent Jungle Cruise, pic starring Dwayne Johnson and Emily Blunt, and The Haunted Mansion, which is getting another reboot with Owen Wilson starring.
As for Bert & Bertie, the directing duo already was in the studio’s good graces after getting high marks for directing a majority of the Marvel series Hawkeye for Disney+. Even with that strong relationship, the two needed to deliver a presentation to studio execs, and sources say that Disney was excited from the start about their vision of what the Big Thunder Mountain film could be.
Besides Hawkeye, Bert & Bertie also recently directed episodes of the hit HBO comedy series Our Flag Means Death. They are repped by Verve and The Nord Group.
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