February 22, 2008–Amazon.com may produce its first movie, “The Stolen Child,” based on the fantasy novel by Keith Donohue. The Seattle-based e-tailer optioned the film rights to the book in 2006 and has since set up the property at Fox, with Marc Platt attached to produce with Amazon.com
Ron Nyswaner, who penned “Philadelphia” and “The Painted Veil,” had begun adapting the book. With the strike over, Amazon is moving “Stolen Child” forward.
Donohue's debut novel revolves around a man who was kidnapped by hobgoblins as a boy and replaced by a look-alike imposter. The book follows both versions of the character as they struggle through their new lives.
Amazon won't finance the production, Fox will, with Amazon agreeing to push the pic across its websites (which include film database IMDb), which attracted 59 million visitors in January, according to comScore MediaMetrix. In December, that number was more than 65 million.
Company has dabbled in the production of entertainment before. In 2006, it produced “Amazon FishBowl,” an online chatfest hosted by Bill Maher that booked authors, musicians and filmmakers as guests to promote products sold on the site. It also bowed a series of short films through “Amazon Theater” that Ridley and Tony Scott's RSA produced.
Given that Amazon doesn't have a head of development, exec across multiple divisions are overseeing “The Stolen Child.”
It wouldn't be the first fantasy pic for Platt. Last year, he produced “The Seeker: The Dark Is Rising,” based on the young adult book.