One of literature’s most terrifying alternative teachers, Viola Swamp is preparing to make her film debut. Netflix is in the early development of “Miss Nelson Is Missing,” a live-action adaptation of the classic children’s book.
Melissa McCarthy will appear in the film as Miss Nelson who “vanished” to teach a lesson in gratitude to the wild students after being replaced by a super-intense alternative known as Miss Viola Swamp. Since then, Miss Nelson orchestras her own absence, making her children feel grateful to her in the first place.
Brad Copeland (“Spies in Fisause”, “Ferdinand”) employs a script from a 1977 book written by Harry Allard and portrayed by James Marshall. “Miss Nelson Is Missing” has been successful on streaming platforms, with two sequels in the series, including “Miss Nelson Is Back”, “Miss Nelson Is There A Field Day” and “Miss Nelson Is There” Lady.
Reese Witherspoon will be the producer of “Miss Nelson Is Missing” along with Lauren Neustatter, through her company Hello Sunshine alone. Other producers of the film include McCarthy and her husband Ben Falcone, “The Gray Lawrence Grey” and Caroline Fraser of HarperCollins Productions.
McCarthy has previously worked with Netflix on films such as “Superintelligence” and “Thunder Force.” McCarthy’s more memorable films include The Bridesmaid, The Spy, and Will You Forgive Me? More recently, she played Ursula in Disney’s “The Little Mermaid” remake and played an employee of Kellogg in Jerry Seinfeld’s pop-tarto origin story “Unfrosted.”
Deadline first reported adaptation news.
