Out of My Mind, the heart touching story written by celebrated author and educator, Sharon M. Draper is heading to Disney+ where it will be given a movie makeover. The film will be helmed by No Man of God director, Amber Sealey, and will star newcomer, Phoebe-Rae Taylor. A young adult novel, Out of My Mind has been on the New York Times Bestsellers list for the past three years. Since its debut, the novel, which has been a hit among parents and students alike, has made its way around classrooms as a piece of required reading.
With a screenplay adaptation penned by Daniel Stiepleman, Out of My Mind centers around the life of Melody Brooks (Taylor), a bright 12-year-old girl with cerebral palsy. Although she’s incredibly smart for her age, Melody can’t speak or move due to her illness, which sets her back in school. That is, until a young and committed teacher sees the girl’s genius longing to connect with the rest of the student body and beyond.
Award-winning filmmaker, Sealey, is beyond happy to see this project come to life right before her eyes. In a statement released with the feature’s reveal, the No Light and No Land Anywhere director said that she was “thrilled to tell this sophisticated, coming-of-age story that is unlike any we’ve seen before.” Of the leading lady, Sealey commented, “In Phoebe-Rae Taylor, we have found an amazing actress, and I can’t wait for the world to meet her.” Her goals for the film are to bring about more awareness to those with disabilities and to make for a more inclusive world so that everyone can thrive.
Out of My Mind will be produced by Peter Saraf (Little Miss Sunshine), Dan Angel (Goosebumps), and the juggernaut media company, Participant. Over the years, Participant has raked in 85 Academy Award nominations for their production behind countless hours of feature and documentary films, so it’s no surprise that Out of My Mind is happy to have them on board. Big Beach, Participant, EveryWhere Studios LLC, and Disney Branded Television will serve as the studios backing the film. Michael B. Clark and Alex Turtletaub of Big Beach will executive produce alongside Participant’s founder Jeff Skoll and Robert Kessel. Tom Mazza, David Calver Jones and Brian Gott also add their names to the executive production team.
As of right now, Disney+ has not set a release date for Out of My Mind. Check out the full synopsis below.
Here’s the synopsis:
After a worldwide search, actress Phoebe-Rae Taylor will star in this heartwarming story introducing the multitalented 12-year-old Melody Brooks, a girl with cerebral palsy. Melody has a quick wit and a sharp mind, but due to her being non-verbal and using a wheelchair, she is not given the same academic opportunities as her classmates. Though she has fierce advocates in her parents, Melody yearns to be seen and heard by the world around her. When a young educator notices her student’s untapped potential, she encourages Melody to participate in mainstream education, where greater challenges and greater successes await.
via Collider