FilmNation Entertainment has acquired the feature film rights to the popular children's book A Tale Dark & Grimm by author Adam Gidwitz. FilmNation will partner with Marissa McMahon of Kamala Films to finance the development and produce alongside FilmNation Entertainment's Aaron Ryder and Karen Lunder. Jon Gunn (Mercy Streets, My Date With Drew) and John Mann (Mercy Streets) are confirmed to adapt the screenplay.

Currently in development, the live action feature film will be based on Gidwitz's original frightening and witty stories. Inspired by some of Grimm's more gruesome tales, the story follows the adventures of two unsuspecting children who hold the key to breaking out of the dark ages.

FilmNation Entertainment's Aaron Ryder said: "We have been searching for distinctive source material for our first family project. We found this in Gidwitz's witty manuscript and look forward to nurturing the project with our partners at Kamala Films."

Currently, Mann and Gunn are working with Universal on an updated feature spin of The Nutcracker with Chernin Entertainment producing, as well as an original animated feature for Skydance. Previously, they penned the Seth Rogen-voiced feature Boo U. for Dreamworks Animation and the Mattel-toy inspired feature Magic 8 Ball for Paramount. Mann and Gunn are repped by WME and Mosaic.