Paul Feig to Direct Children’s Movie ‘The Sweetest Fig’ for Fox

Paul Feig is attached to direct a movie version of the children’s story “The Sweetest Fig,” based on the illustrated book by Chris Van Allsburg.


Producers are Van Allsburg, William Teitler, Mike Weber, Ted Field, and Feigco’s Jessie Henderson. Van Allsburg wrote the original children’s books that served as the basis for “Jumanji” and “The Polar Express.”


“The Sweetest Fig” was published in 1993 and takes place in Paris, centered on a wealthy dentist who lives alone in an apartment with his dog, who he mistreats. The dentist is given two magical figs from an old woman as payment for removing a tooth — and after eating one, discovers that his dreams have come true and plots to become France’s wealthiest man. But his dog eats the second fig, which transforms the dentist into the dog and the dog into the dentist.


Feig’s most recent attachment came in June when he joined the romance movie “Last Christmas” for Universal, directing from a screenplay by Emma Thompson and Bryony Kimmings. Feig broke out in 2010 with the blockbuster “Bridesmaids” for Universal. Since then, he’s directed “The Heat,” “Spy,” and “Ghostbusters.” His latest film is “A Simple Favor,” starring Anna Kendrick and Blake Lively, which will be released in September by Lionsgate.