Shawn Levy and the Berenstain Bears

Published by Jeff Leins on November 3, 2009

Walden Media has picked up the rights to the Berenstain Bears with Shawn Levy (Night at the Museum, The Pink Panther) as a producer.  No word on whether Levy will direct, though his next project is likely Real Steel with Hugh Jackman.

According to THR, the plan is to make a live-action movie that also mixes in CGI.  That seems to be the trend these days thanks to Garfield, Alvin and the Chipmunks, and Scooby Doo.  Now we’re getting the Berenstain Bears and Marmaduke.

There are over 250 Berenstain Bear books in the series originating in 1962 with Stan and Jan Berenstain.  The morality stories help young readers deal with life situations like the birds and the bees (pictured right), bullies, and eating too much junk food.  There hasn’t been a bear family this boring since Goldilocks’ adventures in small, medium, and large sized bowls, chairs, and beds.

The movie likely won’t be based on the controversial “The Berenstain Bears and No Guns Allowed” about a post-Columbine situation where a gun is brought to school, or “The Berenstain Bears’ New Neighbors,” a veiled racist story about a family of pandas that moves into the community.