According to The Hollywood Reporter, Zooey Deschanel has come aboard Bridge to Terabithia for Walt Disney Pictures and Walden Media. Gabor Csupo is making his live-action directorial debut on the action adventure/fantasy, based on Katherine Paterson's 1978 Newbery Award-winning book.

Josh Hutcherson and AnnaSophia Robb have already been cast as two classmates who, because of their outsider status, create the world of Terabithia, an imaginary kingdom filled with giants and trolls and all manner of magical beings. Deschanel is the kids' teacher, whom they admire. Jeff Stockwell (The Dangerous Lives of Altar Boys) wrote the adaptation, which is being produced by Lauren Levine, David Paterson and Hal Lieberman.