Mr Men and Little Miss books confirmed for "bold and imaginative" feature film adaptation

StudioCanal and Heyday Films, who are behind the hugely successful Paddington franchise, are developing a feature film, titled Mr Men Little Miss, which will bring the beloved characters created by Roger Hargreaves to life for the very first time.

Hargreaves began producing the Mr Men book series in 1971, before adding the Little Miss characters to the series in 1981.

After his death in 1988, the series was restarted in 2003 by his son, Adam.

In 2001, the rights to the characters were sold to the Japanese company Sanrio and, since then, the Mr Men and Little Miss brands have expanded their global reach, collaborating with brands including Transport for London, Heathrow Airport, Marks & Spencer, Uniqlo and Doctor Who.

The new film will build on a Mr Men Little Miss animated series that’s now streaming on YouTube, and a second animated series that's currently in production for television.

Heyday Films's David Heyman, whose production credits also include the Harry Potter franchise and Barbie, said in a statement that the new project "offers an irresistible opportunity for a bold and imaginative feature film adaptation".

StudioCanal's Anna Marsh called the feature film "an undeniable opportunity for joy, mischief, and adventure – that we know will inspire and delight theatrical audiences, young and old, around the world today".

Meanwhile, Sanrio's Tomokuni Tsuji said: "With more than 90 characters, Mr Men Little Miss stories will serve as ambassadors of joy, creating smiles and widening the circle of happiness."

Adam Hargreaves added: "My father would have been thrilled and I can’t say how proud I am of his creation that it merits an appearance on the big screen. It’s a big step up for Mr Small.”

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