(MENAFN- Khaleej Times)

Hollywood actor Ryan Reynolds is set to return to the screen in a new avatar, this time as the villain in Netflix's live-action adaptation of Eloise, based on the beloved 1950s children's book series, according to People.

The Deadpool & Wolverine actor will star alongside newcomer Mae Schenck, who plays the titular character. The film marks Reynolds' first acting project since the 2024 superhero blockbuster, and he is also serving as a producer on the upcoming family film.

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According to Netflix, the movie will feature "a wholly original adventure based on the beloved children's book series written by Kay Thompson and illustrated by Hilary Knight".

The project will be directed by Amy Sherman-Palladino, best known for Gilmore Girls and The Marvellous Mrs Maisel, who is also co-writing the script with Hannah Marks and Linda Woolverton, according to People.

The Eloise stories, first published in the 1950s, revolve around a spirited young girl who lives at New York City's Plaza Hotel with her nanny, pug Weenie, and turtle Skipperdee. The series includes four main books- Eloise: A Book for Precocious Grown-Ups, Eloise in Paris, Eloise at Christmastime and Eloise in Moscow. A posthumous fifth instalment, Eloise Takes a Bath, was published in 2002.

"Eloise has been beloved for generations, from when she was first published in the 1950s through to today, when no family trip to New York City is complete without a stop at The Plaza," said Hannah Minghella, Netflix's Head of Feature Animation and Family Films. She added that the film's creators-Sherman-Palladino and Reynolds-bring "signature mischief and charm" to the new retelling.

Production for Eloise is scheduled to begin this month. Netflix has yet to announce a release date or additional cast members.

Reynolds, 49, is also producing a documentary on late comedian John Candy titled John Candy: I Like Me, and will next be heard voicing a character in Animal Friends alongside Jason Momoa and Aubrey Plaza, according to People.

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