Earlier this month there was word, via a couple of European press reports, that Martin Scorsese’s next feature might be an adaptation of the young-lit novel The Invention of Hugo Cabret. Now trade reports are confirming that Scorsese and producer Graham King (The Departed) are indeed looking to reunite to film a version of the book, which tells the story of a 12-year old boy who lives in a Parisian train station.

Variety reports on the film, saying that King’s GK films would produce the film independently, though it has already begun talks with the likes of Sony and Paramount about a distribution deal. We’d originally heard the film was planned to shoot in May, but the trade’s reported date is June 1.

I’m excited about this. It’ll be the first time Scorsese has sourced something expressly from a source aimed at kids, and I’m extremely curious to see what he’ll come up with. (No, Kundun doesn’t count as a kids’ movie.) I also like the idea of King and Scorsese beginning this on their own without studio oversight. Combine fanciful source material, independent production and the talent and class of Scorsese, and I can’t wait to see how this works out. Who will he cast as Hugo?

As we’ve said before, John Logan adapted the book by Brian Selznick. The synopsis for the book goes like this:

Orphan, clock keeper, and thief, Hugo lives in the walls of a busy Paris train station, where his survival depends on secrets and anonymity. But when his world suddenly interlocks with an eccentric, bookish girl and a bitter old man who runs a toy booth in the station, Hugo’s undercover life, and his most precious secret, are put in jeopardy. A cryptic drawing, a treasured notebook, a stolen key, a mechanical man, and a hidden message from Hugo’s dead father form the backbone of this intricate, tender, and spellbinding mystery.