The girl we’ll cast will likely be aged between 10-16.”ĭitter and Becker previously collaborated on the popular German film franchises Crocodiles and Vicky The Viking (specifically Vicky And The Treasure Of The Gods).īecker is one of Germany’s most prolific and successful producers. The book’s central premise, about mysterious creatures who steal the commodity of time, was an unusual concept in the ’80s, but in today’s world of long working hours, global corporations and the search for wellness and mindfulness, it becomes even fresher.”īecker adds: “Our adaptation, which is a fantasy with sci-fi elements, is going to be a large, big-canvas, high-end international production with four quadrant appeal. It’s a fantasy story which is poetic and personal but also about family and friendship. “The novel has multi-generational appeal. “We’re very happy with the script”, says Ditter. Naturally, they wanted to know the team would handle the novel carefully.”įollowing a splashy but under-the-radar rights deal a few years ago, Becker and Ditter have spent the last couple of years crafting a script which they’re now taking out to potential partners on both sides of the Atlantic.

We weren’t the only interested group the estate met with. But the rights were always very hard to get hold of. “Everyone of our generation in Germany has read it.

“ Momo is one of Michael Ende’s most successful books,” adds Ditter who has scripted the adaptation and will direct. “For almost 35 years it was impossible to make a new adaptation of Momo,” explains Becker, who spent years with Ditter trying to disentangle the rights from Ende’s estate and other stakeholders such as Beta Film, which owned the remake rights to the only previous film adaptation, a 1986 German-Italian production which featured John Huston in his last on screen role.

Published in more than 40 languages, this year marks the fiftieth anniversary of the German book’s first publication and producers are hoping to begin filmmaking towards the end of 2023. Isla Fisher & Greg Kinnear To Topline Family Comedy 'The Present' From 'How To Be Single' Helmer Christian Ditter

Momo and the grey gentlemen