The Magic Tree House series is coming to the big screen

Magic Tree House book series optioned for film.

(Image credit: Amazon.com)

published 4 February 2016

The rights to all 54 Magic Tree House books have been purchased by Lionsgate, with plans for a live-action movie series, Entertainment Weekly reports. The children's books by Mary Pope Osborne have sold over 130 million copies worldwide; the stories follow the travels of siblings Jack and Annie through time and space.

The first film is based primarily on the 29th book in the series, Christmas in Camelot, in which Jack and Annie rediscover the eponymous time-traveling magic tree house after growing older.

"We're always looking for magical worlds to expand into potential motion picture franchises, and this is an iconic property that is beloved and recognizable around the world. The Magic Tree House books have been cherished by generations of readers, including my own children. We're thrilled to bring the genius of Mary Pope Osborne's iconic stories to the screen for their tens of millions of fans and to introduce a whole new audience to their magic," Lionsgate co-president Erik Feig said in a statement.

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Jeva Lange was the executive editor at TheWeek.com. She formerly served as The Week's deputy editor and culture critic. She is also a contributor to Screen Slate, and her writing has appeared in The New York Daily News, The Awl, Vice, and Gothamist, among other publications. Jeva lives in New York City. Follow her on Twitter.

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