Angelina Jolie (Maleficent) and David Oyelowo (Selma) have signed on to star in Come Away, a new fantasy drama from Brenda Chapman, the Oscar-winning director and co-writer of Disney-Pixar’s Brave.
According to Deadline, the film will serve as a prequel to Alice in Wonderland and Peter Pan, with the logline reading:
“Before Alice went to Wonderland, and before Peter became Pan, they were brother and sister. When their eldest brother dies in a tragic accident, they each seek to save their parents (Jolie & Oyelowo) from their downward spirals of despair until finally they are forced to choose between home and imagination. This sets the stage for their iconic journeys into Wonderland and Neverland.
“Angelina and David are going to bring a beautiful chemistry and depth to this magical story, giving audiences a wonderful step outside the expected,” said Chapman, who is making her live-action debut on the project.
“Brenda is a singular storyteller,” added screenwriter Marissa Kate Goodhill. “Her decades of experience in creating rich fantasy worlds populated by complex characters make her a dream director for this project, which explores how fantasy functions as a way to cope with reality. Her thoughtful approach to filmmaking and indomitable talent make her the perfect person to bring this story to life.”
Filming on Come Away is set to get underway in the UK, before moving to Los Angeles later in the fall. Jolie will join the second half of the shoot, once she completes work on the Disney fantasy sequel Maleficent II, which began filming this week.
