Eloise is back for another mischief at The Plaza — this time with Ryan Reynolds possibly playing her nemesis. Netflix is moving full speed ahead on a live-action feature adapting the beloved children’s classic “Eloise”, with Reynolds attached to star and produce. Newcomer Mae Schenk will step into the shoes of the beloved icon, while “Gilmore Girls” and “The Marvelous Mrs Maisel” creator Amy Sherman-Palladino has been tapped to direct. The adaptation will reimagine the precocious little heiress’ adventure for a modern audience while still rooted in the whimsical world of the Plaza Hotel and its antics.
“Eloise has been beloved for generations, from when she was first published in the 1950s through to today, when no family trip to New York City is complete without a stop at The Plaza,” explained Hannah Minghella, Netflix’s Head of Feature Animation and Family Film. “It’s an honor to reintroduce this cherished character to the world with two people who share her signature mischief and charm — Amy Sherman-Palladino and Ryan Reynolds — in this bold, hilarious, and heartfelt new family film.”
The new film is currently in early development with Netflix having won the rights after competitive studio interest, sources say. Reynolds, via his Maximum Effort banner, joins forces with production partner MRC Films, which has secured the global rights to the Eloise catalogue.
Screenwriter Linda Woolverton — known for her work on family-friendly adaptations — is working on the script. Everything about the title remains under wraps for now, but executives describe it as “a fresh take on Eloise’s world” based on the original source materials. Written in 1955 by Kay Thompson and illustrated by Hilary Knight, the first Eloise book introduced the wildly imaginative six-year-old who lives at the “tippy-top floor” of New York’s Plaza Hotel. Over the decades, Eloise has been adapted into two TV movies, “Eloise at the Plaza” and “Eloise at Christmastime” starring Sofia Vassilieva, and even an animated series.
With the unlikely tandem between Reynolds and Sherman-Palladino, Eloise’s new life on Netflix is shaping up to be as exciting and unpredictable as her romps around Fifth Avenue’s most illustrious hotel.