Author Dan Brown’s novel, Wild Symphony, is being developed into a film by Akiva Goldsman. According to The Hollywood Reporter, Goldsman is developing the film based on Wild Symphony as an animation project and will collaborate with MGM for distribution, while also producing it with Greg Lessans from Weed Road Pictures.

Wild Symphony is Dan Brown’s first picture book, which comprises illustrations from Susan Batori. The book follows Maestro Mouse, who set himself on an adventurous journey across the globe, where he forms an unusual orchestra with fellow animals from many species. The book, intentionally written as a musical journey, also comprises a free app and music, composed by Dan Brown himself.

Just like the New York Times Best-Seller book, the feature will also be an animated musical in which Dan Brown will pen the music.

Talking about the collaboration, Akiva Goldsman said:

I’m so excited to join up with my old friend Dan Brown and my older friend Mike Deluca and company to bring this marvelous book of Dan’s to the screen.

Further expressing his love for classical music and sharing his excitement, Dan Brown added:

In many ways, my lifetime love of classical music began with film, and so I’m especially excited to be working with such talented partners to bring Wild Symphony to life in the form of an animated feature.

A Reunion for Dan Brown and Akiva Goldsman

Dan Brown is known for the acclaimed and commercially hit Robert Langdon series of novels. Three of the novels, The Da Vinci Code, Angels & Demons, and Inferno, have been adapted into a trilogy of films directed by Ron Howard with Tom Hanks in the lead. Another novel, The Lost Symbol premiered on Peacock as a television series, with Ashley Zuckerman as Robert Langdon, taking on the role from Hanks. The show, however, was canceled after a season.

Wild Symphony is the first children’s book from Brown, whose earlier works have mostly been mystery thrillers. It is also the first book from Brown, with pictures and illustrations. Even for Academy Award winner Goldsman, diving into the children’s section would be a shift as most of his earlier works have been in the drama and thriller genre. Interestingly, working on Wild Symphony will also be a reunion for Dan Brown and Goldsman. Goldsman has earlier penned adaptations of Dan Brown’s The Da Vinci Code and Angels & Demons.

Wild Symphony will also be the first project under the exclusive first-look production deal for feature films between Goldsman and MGM. Currently,, Akiva is working on two television productions - Ringworld (adaptation of Larry Niven’s novel) at MGM’s parent studio, Amazon, and Aurora Rising (adaptation of Amie Kufman & Jay Kristoff’s novel). Akiva Goldsman is also roped in for penning I Am Legend 2, the sequel to the 2007 adaptation of Richard Matheson’s novel, which will star Will Smith and Michael B. Jordan.

Given the backdrop of the book, one can expect Wild Symphony’s feature to be a musical adventure with heart-warming melodies, mostly oozing joy and optimism. The official synopsis from the book’s website reads:

Travel through the trees and across the seas with Maestro Mouse and his musical friends! You’ll meet a big blue whale and speedy cheetahs, tiny beetles, and graceful swans. Each has a special secret to share. Along the way, you might spot the surprises Maestro Mouse has left for you — a hiding buzzy bee, jumbled letters that spell out clues, and even a coded message for you to solve!