Parents everywhere, rejoice! The Jim Henson Company just announced that they have gained the rights to develop an animated feature film adaptation of the beloved children’s series Frog and Toad.
Written and illustrated by Arnold Lobel, the Frog and Toad series focused on the adventures of two best friends, a frog and a toad named… Frog and Toad. The books were originally published in the 1970s, each containing five short stories detailing a new exploit involving the two title characters.
Lisa Henson, CEO of the Jim Henson Company, on the new project (via ComingSoon):
“‘Frog and Toad’ has tremendous value with parents who read these charming stories when they were children and are now sharing them with their own kids. […] With such high caliber talent on board, the delightful and funny adventures of these two great friends–with a nod to the classic ‘buddy movie’–will bring a whole new audience to their big screen debut.”
She’ll produce for the company, with Adam and Adrianne Lobel joining as executive producers. Cory Edwards (Hoodwinked) will direct a script from Craig Bartlett (Dinosaur Train, Hey Arnold!).
Though the books were published well before my childhood, I remember finding them as a kid wandering around a friend’s personal library and immediately falling in love. The series was a perfect fit for children, filled with charm and wit that spoke to the kid in all of us. Having let go of the Muppet name several years ago, it’s been a while since the Jim Henson Company has done anything substantial in the film industry — yet, I feel this could be the right adaptation to bring the company back to life. If the wacky puppets can come back to charm us all, I’m pretty sure this series can find new life on the screen as well.
What do you think of Frog and Toad making the leap to the big screen?