The Hollywood Reporter, via Yahoo News, has revealed that Gary Ross, the writer of such films as Big, Dave and the director of Pleasantville and this year’s hopeful in the Oscar race, Seabuscuit, is getting into animation. “Universal Pictures has optioned Kate DiCamillo’s Newberry Medal-winning novel The Tale of Despereaux: Being the Story of a Mouse, a Princess, Some Soup, and a Spool of Thread for Ross and his Larger Than Life Productions banner”. Despereaux is “the tale of three misfits – a banished mouse, a rat who likes the light and a young servant girl with cauliflower ears – whose fates are intertwined with that of a princess” when the little mouse with big dreams falls in love with the beautiful princess, which puts him in danger. DiCamillo will adapt animated film from her own novel, though Ross is also expected to contribute. Thanks to ‘MusicFan’ for additional info.