CEBU, Philippines - Johnny Depp's Infinitum Nihil and Illumination Entertainment are developing a movie based on the life of Dr. Seuss — and Depp may play the lead role, TheWrap has confirmed.
Keith Bunin ("In Treatment") is working on the script.
An individual close to the project told TheWrap that it's extremely early in the development process and that with the exception of Bunin and producers Depp, his Infinitum Nihil colleague Christi Dembrowski and Illumination's Christopher Meledandri and David Kennedy, there are no attachments.
Universal would distribute.
Dr. Seuss, whose real name was Theodor Geisel, was the author and illustrator of children's books such as "Green Eggs and Ham" and "The Cat in the Hat." He died in 1991.
The project is being described as "a perspective" on the life of Geisel, an individual close to the project told TheWrap.
Depp had been set to star as Tonto in "The Lone Ranger" for Disney, but that project is currently in limbo as the company tries to trim its budget. Gore Verbinski, who directed Depp in "Rango" and three "Pirates of the Caribbean" movies, is attached to direct — if the movie is, in fact, resurrected.
Depp and Universal last worked together in the 2009 "Public Enemies." (FREEMAN)