Disney Plans Aussie Surfer “Treasure Island”

Disney
“The Peanut Butter Falcon” directors Tyler Nilson and Michael Schwartz return to cinemas this month with “Los Frikis,” a 1990s Spanish-language Cuba-set film about punk rockers who self-infected themselves with HIV.

‘Falcon’ has been described as a modern riff on Mark Twain’s “Adventures of Huckleberry Finn”, and the co-writers and directors say they’re planning to do another spin on a classic literary property.

This time it’s one of Robert Louis Stevenson’s most famous works, “Treasure Island,” which Schwartz confirms to THR is set up at Disney and which they’re currently working on. He adds:

“It’s an Australian surfer version of Treasure Island, and if they [Disney] ever make it, it would be so fun. It has the vibes that we do, and there’s found family, brotherhood, drama and outsider energy.”

Nilson adds that it “has the patina of the 1970s surf world”. The pair have also been linked to a reimagining of 2020 Danish action/dark comedy “Riders of Justice” which Schwartz says is still in the works:

“We’ve written three or four things that we’re really excited about, and we’re open to whatever comes first. But all the things we’ve written, or are attached to maybe do, have a similar outsider spirit with found family and a feel-good quality, even within the drama.”

“Treasure Island” has been adapted to film and television many times before with Disney tackling it in both “Muppet Treasure Island” and sci-fi animated “Treasure Planet”. More recently Starz’s acclaimed pirate series “Black Sails” served as something of a prequel to the story.