A new adaptation of The Little Prince, the beloved novella written by Antoine de Saint-Exupéry and published in 1943, is currently in development. The story, which has sold over 200 million copies globally and has been translated into more than 600 languages, is set to return to the screen in a new film. According to Variety, the project will be directed by Morten Tyldum, who was nominated for an Oscar for his biopic The Imitation Game. Tyldum described the film as "a very cinematic and epic story, which offers us a great opportunity to ask big questions," and noted that it will explore themes of love, grief, and loss, as well as hope, listening to one's deep aspirations, and living life as a great adventure. The adaptation will be a mix of live action and animation, inspired by the comic book by French illustrator and director Joann Sfar, who was nominated for an Academy Award for his films The Rabbi's Cat and Gainsbourg (Vie héroïque). The film will blend the true story of Antoine de Saint-Exupéry with the universe of The Little Prince, using visual effects to create the latter. The script is being written by Simon Beaufoy, known for Slumdog Millionaire, 127 Hours, The Hunger Games, and Everest, as well as for creating the series Trust and The Full Monty. Previously, The Little Prince had an animated film adaptation directed by Mark Osborne, which won an Academy Award in 2016. It had also received the César for Best Animated Film and the BAFTA Children's Award for Best Feature Film. The new adaptation will follow the well-known plot of a stranded pilot in the Sahara meeting a young boy from another planet. The film is described as a hybrid between a biopic of Saint-Exupéry's literary and aviation career and a fantasy film based on the universe he created. No further details about the production have been revealed.