Walden Media will co-finance Mandate Pictures’ “Mr. Magorium’s Wonder Emporium,” the directorial debut of Zach Helm, which stars Natalie Portman, Dustin Hoffman and Jason Bateman.
Production will begin at the end of the month in Toronto.
In the pic, Portman plays Molly Mahoney, the awkward and insecure manager of Mr. Magorium’s Wonder Emporium, the strangest, most fantastic toy store in the world. But when Mr. Magorium (Hoffman), the 243-year-old eccentric who owns the store, bequeaths it to her, a dark and ominous change begins to take over the once remarkable Emporium.
Richard Gladstein is producing through his FilmColony shingle, along with Jim Garavente.
Walden Media senior VP of production Jackie Levine and creative exec Jared Mass are overseeing the project for the company. Mandate prexy Nathan Kahane and director of development Jim Miller are overseeing for Mandate.
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