Considering Guilermo Del Toro signs on to a new project every other day, it’s not a surprise that some might end up falling to the wayside. One such project is “Pan.”
First acquired by New Line way back in 2006 as a project for Del Toro, “Pan” is an intriguing re-imagining of J.M. Barrie’s tale that spins “Captain Hook as a haunted former police detective in pursuit of a childlike kidnapper.” We’re guessing this one won’t be the for the kiddies.
Ben Hibon — who after this weekend is best known for the animated sequence in “Harry Potter & The Deathly Hallows Part 1” — has been tasked with the project now, and casting is underway for a shoot next fall in Europe. His background is in animation, having produced some shorts and worked on the video games “Heavenly Sword” and “Killer 7.” The film has a script from Benjamin Magid, a writer still making his way up the ranks but who has a number of projects in development including an adaptation of “Hack/Slash.”
We like the concept, but we’re wary of the talent. This could be a cool gothic little thriller, but a with director making his first feature film entry with a background in video games we’ll keep our optimism in check for now. To get a taste of Hibon’s work and aesthetic check out his short “Codehunters” below, which has made its way to over fifty film festivals around the world.
