HOLLYWOOD IS turning its attention to Irish folklore with a brand-new animated film centred around the mythical world of leprechauns.
DreamWorks, the studio behind the highly-successful Shrek franchise as well as the Trolls and How to Train Your Dragon movies is working on the project.
The animation studio has signed on to adapt the bestselling children’s book Ronan Boyle and the Bridge of Riddles by Irish-American author and writer Thomas Lennon.
It centres on the adventures of Ronan, a 14-year-old who is recruited to a special branch of the Irish police tasked with investigating crimes perpetrated by magical creatures.
When his parents end up behind bars, accused of stealing a bog body, Ronan becomes convinced they were framed by the “wee people” and sets out to clear their name.
On his quest to find the truth he encounters a fiery leprechaun as well as a sinister harpy and other mythical creatures from Irish folklore hidden in plain sight around real-life Ireland.
The film will represent the first big-budget animated film to feature leprechauns.
Arguably the most famous children’s film to centre on the mythical beings came back in 1959 with Disney’s Darby O'Gill and the Little People.
Ronan Boyle and the Bridge of Riddles is being directed by Fergal Reilly, originally from Louth, who made his name with the well-received Angry Birds animated movie.
There’s no word yet on who will take scriptwriting duties, though Lennon’s previous success as a screenwriter could see take on the responsibility.
A New York Times bestseller, Lennon’s book has already spawned one sequel with Ronan Boyle and the Swamp of Certain Death and DreamWorks is likely to be eyeing up potential sequels already.
