Pippi Longstocking Set To Return To The Big Screen In Sweden?

From my childhood there are ever-so-brief memories of watching someone's adaptation of Pippi Longstocking. Television, film and animation versions of Astrid Lindgren's children's books have dotted the entertainment landscape since the late 40s. It had to be one of those.

In some way or another the red-haired firecracker will return to the big screen in Efraim Longstocking and the Cannibal Princess. Efraim is her father and his character was inspired by real life sailor Carl Emil Pettersson. He was shipwrecked near Tabar Island in 1904; an island inhabited by cannibals. Presumably he was deemed unfit for consumption by the locals and married the chief's daughter. Author Jaokim Langer wrote two books based on his story.

The producer Mirijam Johansson will base the film "...on two books by Swedish author Joakim Langer (In Search of Efraim and Pippi Longstocking and the King), a screenplay by Daniel Fridell and Ulf Stark, and approved by Saltkråkan, which holds Lindgren's rights... is currently negotiating with a top US screenwriter who will transfer the books and the endorsed script".

So it remains to be seen how much of the story will be about Pippi. And I do not know what to make of the 'top US screenwriter' endorsement; perhaps there is the hope that it will lead to distribution outside of Sweden? I say you could always use a good rip-roaring family adventure no matter what language it is in.