We've seen on-screen stories about children being raised by wolves, but how about whales? Apparently it's a dream that director Jon Turteltaub is interested in making a reality. The National Treasure director is now attached to direct Beached, a new fantasy family movie set up over at Fox 2000. The film follows a "chubby four-year-old child" who falls off of a boat into the ocean during a family vacation. He is then rescued and raised by whales and he grows up to become an Olympic swimmer.
THR says that the film has actually been in the works since 1997 and was originally written by Ted Griffin, whose credits include Steven Soderbergh's Ocean's 11, Matchstick Men, Rumor Has It... and the television series Terriers. He most recently wrote the screenplay for the Brett Ratner movie Tower Heist. Betty Thomas, who is best known for movies like 28 Days, Doctor Dolittle and Alvin and the Chipmunks: The Squeakquel, was formerly attached, but bailed when the project stalled. Turteltaub will oversee the scripting of a new draft. The filmmaker is also currently attached to helm the comedy Last Vegas, which has Robert De Niro, Morgan Freeman, Jack Nicholson and Michael Douglas attached to star.
I get that people are excited about swimming thanks to the Olympics and athletes like Michael Phelps and Ryan Lochte, but this is honestly one of the dumbest ideas I have ever heard. At least with the "raised by wolves" story you have the believability that comes with real people actually managing to survive in the wilderness. With this story more concerned that a couple of dipshit parents could let their fat toddler fall off of a ship in the middle of the ocean and not notice.
