Steven Spielberg Signs on to Harvey Remake, Bridges Gap Between Production Companies

In 1950, Mary Chase's Pulitzer Prize-winning play Harvey was adapted for the silver screen. Nearly 50 years later, Steven Spielberg has recently agreed to direct and co-produce a remake of the classic film.

The title character is a six-foot-three rabbit named Harvey that only a few people can see. One of these people is Elwood P. Dowd, who befriends the oversized hare. As a result, Elwood is (rather understandably) thought to be insane by his family and friends and is sent to an institution.

DreamWorks and 20th Century Fox will join together on the new Harvey, and the project will be DreamWorks' first since its partnership with Disney. The alliance with Fox was unforeseen, as the studio has kept its distance from DreamWorks since the latter's break with Paramount. But Variety reports that Fox chairman Tom Rothman received the Harvey script and sent it to Spielberg, who was interested immediately. However, Spielberg had partnered with Reliance and Disney, and the two companies were expected to support any film the director chose to work on.

There is not yet any word on who will fill the shoes of Jimmy Stewart, who starred in the original. For the record, we'd like to suggest Jake Gyllenhaal, and cite his successful history with big-bunny buddies as the perfect qualification.

Related links:
News: In Coup, DreamWorks to Release Movies Through Disney
News: Steven Spielberg Set to Produce MLK Biopic
Harvey on IMDb.com

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