Ryan Reynolds is teaming up with Qui Nguyen, the writer and co-director of Disney’s upcoming animated feature, Strange World, to adapt the company’s Society of Explorers and Adventurers theme park attraction as a film.
Nguyen will write what is intended to be a live-action feature take with Reynolds producing with his executives at his banner, Maximum Effort.
This new feature project is different than the upcoming Disney+ series from exec producer and writer Ron Moore (For All Mankind) that is also based on the SEA idea. Moore’s series is set in the Magic Kingdom Universe, where the themed lands and characters of Disney’s parks and classic films exist in another reality.
According to the insiders, Nguyen’s take for the feature pursues alternative angles to SEA mythology in present day by adding a new supernatural element to the history and following new characters not present in the original SEA lore.
The SEA, as the Society attraction is known, got it start at the Tokyo Disneyland and expanded by Hong Kong Disneyland and has a detailed mythology that sees its founding in 1538 in Italy and expanding around the globe as an organization that consists of not only explorers and adventurers but also scientists, artists, and travelers. It also comes with a host of characters with names such as Harrison Hightower III, Mary Oceaneer, and Lord Henry Mystic. Part of the SEA consists of having paraphernalia pop up around various other theme park rides and attractions.
The intention is to launch a franchise with the project.
Nguyen is the screenwriter of Disney’s Strange World, which he co-directed with veteran Don Hall. That adventure-oriented movie, with a voice cast that includes Jake Gyllenhaal, Dennis Quaid, Jaboukie Young-White, debuts Nov. 23. Nguyen also co-wrote Raya and the Last Dragon, which was nominated for a best animated Oscar earlier this year, while also earning him a best writing nomination for the Annie Awards.
Reynolds will next shoot Deadpool 3 for Disney-owned Marvel Studios with Shawn Levy at the helm and Hugh Jackman as his co-pilot.
Nguyen is repped by Paradigm, The Cartel, and Jackoway Austen.
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