Two years after receiving mixed reviews from fans and critics alike for Indiana Jones And The Kingdom Of The Crystal Skull, Steven Spielberg has decided to direct War Horse, a film about a boy and his friendship with a horse throughout World War I. The new movie will be based on the novel by Michael Morpurgo, with writers Richard Curtis and Lee Hall working on the adaptation. Producing are Spielberg's go-to team, Kathleen Kennedy and Frank Marshall.
DreamWorks will release the film on August 10, 2011, which sounds pretty ambitious and puts its release date five months ahead of The Adventures Of Tintin: Secret Of The Unicorn, which the director has already finished filming. That film requires an extensive post-production process due to its advanced motion capture element, so we can only deduce from the release schedule that War Horse is going to be a more low-key affair in technological terms.
The story is set during World War I, with the main character a foal named Joey. Separated from his beloved master and sent to the front lines of battle, the horse touches the emotions of the men he fights alongside. Back at home, Albert, the horse's master, wonders about the fate of Joey and hopes that their paths will cross again. First published in 1982 to widespread acclaim, in 2007 the play opened in the West End and was a big hit. ''Its heart and its message provide a story that can be felt in every country,'' Spielberg told Variety.
