Tim Burton's adaptation of Ransom Riggs' MISS PEREGRINE'S HOME FOR PECULIAR CHILDREN is set to get going in February, and Tim Burton seems to have found his leading man/boy. He's already got his DARK SHADOWS star Eva Green lined up to play Miss Peregrine, and for the role of young Jacob Portman, Burton's looking to lock down HUGO/Ender himself, Asa Butterfield.
Butterfield's Portman is a normal teenage boy who gets involved with a fire manipulator named Emma, who sucks him into the orbit of Miss Peregrine and the magic power-enhanced children of her titular home.
Butterfield hasn't officially signed on yet, but his casting would make sense. He's only 17, but he's already headlined two major studio films, as well as appearing in hits like THE WOLFMAN and NANNY MCPHEE RETURNS. He had a strong presence in HUGO, but I thought he was even better in ENDER'S GAME, taking a character that, on the page, was sort of inscrutable and tough to empathize with, and gave him a soul and a believable sense of maturity. He's also looking mighty old mighty fast, and this could easily be the last "child role" Butterfield ever inhabits.
Burton isn't necessarily known for his work with young actors, but let's not forget he got early, career-boosting performances out of Freddie Highmore, Mia Wasikowska, and of course, Winona Ryder (thanks again for that, Tim). I'd expect him to go even younger for the character of Emma, so if he casts someone of comparable talent to Butterfield's, we should have two engaging young leads running around Eva Green doing crazy magic.
MISS PEREGRINE'S HOME FOR PECULIAR CHILDREN takes our little freaks off our hands on March 4th, 2016.
