LOS ANGELES (April 5, 2007) – Walden Media, Fox 2000 and The Jim Henson Company have
joined forces to develop and produce a live-action feature film adaptation of Edward Gorey’s
whimsical classic book “The Doubtful Guest”, marking the first time a Gorey work has been
made into a feature film. The story revolves around a quirky family whose life is turned upside
down when a mysterious and mischievous creature arrives unannounced and unwelcome,
bringing trouble with him and wreaking havoc. Ultimately, no one’s life will be the same once
they’ve met The Doubtful Guest.
The film will be released by Twentieth Century Fox and Walden Media through their Fox
Walden banner. Brad Peyton (“Evelyn: The Cutest Evil Dead Girl”) is attached to direct and
Matthew Huffman will write the screenplay. Producing duties will be handled by The Jim
Henson Company’s co-CEOs Lisa Henson and Brian Henson, and Jason Lust, the company’s
Senior Vice President of Feature Films. Jim Henson’s Creature Shop, the company’s visual and special
effects division, will bring the film’s title creature to life using a blend of CGI and animatronics.
Currently published by Harcourt, “The Doubtful Guest” has been a favorite worldwide since its
debut in 1957. Described by The New York Times as “a grand master of the comic macabre”,
Edward Gorey wrote more than 100 books in his lifetime and illustrated books for such writers
as T.S. Eliot and Samuel Becket. He was also a very successful set and costume designer, earning a Tony Award for his Broadway production of Edward Gorey’s Dracula. Animated
sequences of his work have introduced the PBS series Mystery! since 1980. Gorey died in 2000.
Walden Media Executive Vice President of Production Alex Schwartz and Senior Vice President
of Production Jackie Levine will be overseeing the project for the company. Executive Vice
President of Production Carla Hacken will oversee for Fox 2000. Peyton is represented by
Endeavor. Huffman is represented by CAA.
About Walden Media
Walden Media specializes in entertainment that sparks imagination and engages young people in
the learning process. Producing both original works and adaptations of acclaimed children’s
literature, Walden Media projects are enhanced by comprehensive outreach and supplemental
programs for teachers, librarians, and parents. In August 2006, Walden Media entered into a joint
venture with Twentieth Century Fox to market and release family films for audiences of all ages.
About Fox Filmed Entertainment
One of the world’s largest producers and distributors of motion pictures, Fox Filmed
Entertainment produces, acquires and distributes motion pictures throughout the world. These
motion pictures are produced or acquired by the following units of FFE: Twentieth Century Fox,
Fox 2000 Pictures, Fox Searchlight Pictures, Fox Atomic, and Twentieth Century Fox Animation
About The Jim Henson Company
The Jim Henson Company has remained an established leader in family entertainment for over
50 years and is recognized worldwide as an innovator in puppetry, animatronics and computer
graphics. Best known as creators of the world famous Muppets (the rights to which are now
owned by The Walt Disney Company), Henson is the recipient of over 50 Emmy Awards and
nine Grammy Awards. Credits include the Saturn Award-winning “Farscape” and the features
“MirrorMask”, “Five Children and It” and “Good Boy!”. With additional locations in New York and
London, The Jim Henson Company is headquartered in Los Angeles on the historic Charlie
Chaplin lot complete with soundstage and post-production facilities. Independently owned and
operated by the five adult children of founder Jim Henson, the Company is also home to Jim
Henson’s Creature Shop, a pre-eminent character-building and visual effects group with
international film, television and advertising clients, as well as Henson Recording Studios, one
of the music industry’s top recording facilities known for its world-class blend of state of the art
and vintage equipment. The Company recently launched “Puppet Up! – Uncensored”, a live
puppet improvisational show that has played to sold out crowds in Aspen, Hollywood,
Edinburgh, Sydney and Melbourne and premiered as a special on TBS. The Company has also
announced the creation of Jim Henson Designs, a merchandise collection inspired by Jim
Henson’s earliest sketches. The Jim Henson Company’s website is located at:
www.henson.com
