Melissa McCarthy is set to terrify and delight in a new live-action adaptation of the classic children’s book, Miss Nelson Is Missing, per variety.com. The actress will star in the Netflix film, taking on the dual roles of the kind-hearted Miss Nelson and her strict, alter-ego substitute, the infamous Viola Swamp.
The 1977 book by Harry Allard and James Marshall tells the story of a classroom of rowdy students who take their sweet teacher for granted. Miss Nelson orchestrates her own disappearance, only to return in disguise as the fearsome Viola Swamp, a no-nonsense substitute who whips the classroom into shape. The scheme successfully teaches the children a lesson in appreciation.
The film is in early development with a screenplay by Brad Copeland. A potential success could lead to adaptations of the book’s two sequels, Miss Nelson Is Back and Miss Nelson Has a Field Day.
Reese Witherspoon and Lauren Neustadter will produce through their company Hello Sunshine, while McCarthy and her husband Ben Falcone will also serve as producers via On the Day Productions. The project joins McCarthy’s growing list of collaborations with Netflix, which includes Superintelligence and Thunder Force.
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