Terry Pratchett's Discworld Children's Book Confirmed For Animated Adaptation

It looks like the success of Good Omens may have an awesome side effect on Terry Pratchett's other works. A new report confirms that the author's children's book based in the Discworld Universe will get an animated adaptation.

Variety reports that Pratchett's novel The Amazing Maurice and his Educated Rodents will be made into an animated film. It was optioned out by Ulysses Filmproduktion, which will make the film with Cantilever Media. German director Toby Genkel (A Stork's Journey) will helm the project while Terry Rossio (Shrek, Aladdin) will write the screenplay. In addition to that, Carter Goodrich (The Croods, Ratatouille) will work on the character design.

The Amazing Maurice was published in 2001 and is the 28th book set in the Discworld universe. The great difference is, Pratchett wrote the novel as a children's fantasy book. It is the author's version of what happened to the Pied Piper of Hamelin if he was working with an intelligent feline.

The premise of The Amazing Maurice and his Educated Rodents reads as follows:

Every town on Discworld knows the stories about rats and pipers, and Maurice - a streetwise tomcat - leads a band of educated ratty friends (and a stupid kid) on a nice little earner. Piper plus rats equals lots and lots of money.

Until they run across someone playing a different tune.

Now he and his rats must learn a new concept: evil . . .

The animated film adaptation has not yet been given an official production start or release date. Stay tuned for more updates on this story.

Related: Neil Gaiman Regrets How Good Omens Perfectly Reflects The World's Current Situation