Disney+ Adapting Coming of Age Story OUT OF MY MIND Into Feature Film
Disney+ has announced that they are developing a feature film based on the award-winning novel Out of My Mind by Sharon M. Draper. Amber Sealey (No Man of God) will direct from an adapted screenplay written by Daniel Stiepleman (Humanitas Prize winner for On the Basis of Sex).
The story follows multitalented 12-year-old Melody Brooks, a girl with cerebral palsy, played by newcomer Phoebe-Rae Taylor who was cast in the lead role following a worldwide search. The character Melody “has a quick wit and sharp mind, but due to her being non-verbal and using a wheelchair, she is not given the same academic opportunities as her classmates. However, when a young educator notices her student’s untapped potential, she encourages Melody to participate in mainstream education, where greater successes – and challenges – await.”
Deadline reports that the production team includes multiple people from the cerebral palsy and AAC (augmentative and alternative communication device) community, who have been involved from the earliest stages of development.
This sounds like a fantastic story. I can’t wait to check it out. Stay tuned for more updates on Out of My Mind as it develops.