The Walt Disney Studio has acquired the screen rights to Neil Gaiman’s Newbery Medal-winning The Graveyard Book.  Back in 2009 Gaiman’s book, which had just won the ALA’s top children’s book award, was optioned by the U.K. special effects house Framestone with Neil Jordan (The Borgias, Interview With a Vampire) directing (see "Neil Jordan to Direct The Graveyard Book").  Although the project was close at times to securing the necessary backing, it never did get the green light.

 

Now Deadline is reporting that Disney has made a "high six-figure deal" to acquire rights to the project.  Deadline reports that Disney production chief Sean Bailey was behind the acquisition and has made The Graveyard Book "a priority for the studio."