Disney Developing Spy Thriller ‘Becoming Houdini’ with Writers from ‘John Wick 4’ and ‘The Three Musketeers’

Harry Houdini was a famous magician and escape artist from the early 1900s, known for his daring stunts like escaping from locked handcuffs, sealed containers, and even underwater traps. Born in 1874 in Hungary, he moved to the U.S. as a child and became a global sensation for his skill, showmanship, and charisma.

Beyond magic, he was also a skeptic who exposed fake spiritualists and a pioneer in aviation and filmmaking. His story was inspiring enough that the famous magician will apparently appear on the big screen in a spy thriller titled ‘Becoming Houdini’

Scott Sanders and Danny Strong will produce the movie. The film will follow the story of young Erik Weisz (Houdini’s real name) as he rises to fame. The script will be written by Michael Finch and Alex Litvak, known for ‘John Wick: Chapter 4’ and ‘The Three Musketeers’.

Not much is known about the plot of the movie so far, and no lead has been cast currently as per Deadline.

‘Becoming Houdini’ will be produced by Mara Jacobs from’ In The Heights’ for SGS Pictures, along with Strong and Sanders. Oren Aviv (‘National Treasure’) and Mandy Safavi (‘Dopesick’) will be executive producers. Jessica Virtue will oversee the film for Walt Disney Studios.

This is not the first time that a live-action project features Houdini. Several live-action projects have featured the famous magician, including the 1953 film ‘Houdini’ starring Tony Curtis, the 1976 TV movie ‘The Great Houdini’ with Paul Michael Glaser, and the 2014 TV miniseries ‘Houdini’ starring Adrien Brody.

Other portrayals include ‘Houdini & Doyle’ (2016) with Michael Weston and ‘Young Harry Houdini’ (1987) in a fictionalized childhood story. Houdini has also appeared in audio dramas, radio shows, and animated series, such as ‘Batman: The Animated Series.’

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