Risky Business is reporting that Paramount Pictures has picked up a pitch from screenwriters Willie Block and Jack Emanuel for a Hunchback of Notre Dame film.
The high-concept action-adventure story mixes original ideas with the framework of the traditional Hunchback of Notre Dame story. Though said to be in the vein of the “Pirates of the Caribbean” movies, its plotline is being kept secret by producers Lorenzo di Bonaventura and Mark Vahradian of Di Bonaventura Pictures, where the concept was originally hatched.
Perhaps they can set it in modern times with a cast of high school kids and make Quasimodo sparkly. It’s been 14 years since the Disney film, so why not? This is pretty much a no-brainer success for them if done right.
The Toxic Avenger is getting the big budget mainstream treatment sometime soon as well, so hopefully there will be enough demand for misshapen action heroes.
In better news, the original Lon Chaney Hunchback (pictured above) is available on Netflix Instant. Queue that sucker up and watch a master become a star.