WTF: 'National Treasure' Director Jon Turteltaub Developing Movie About 4-Year-Old Raised By Whales To Become An Olympic Swimmer

Blame Ryan Lochte and Michael Phelps for this one, as interest in the Olympic games, and specifically the US-dominated swimming competitions, is likely a big factor in kick-starting a film that has been in development since 1997. Beached is the story of "a chubby 4-year-old child who falls overboard during a family outing, is raised by whales and goes on to become an Olympic swimmer."

Yeah, you read that correctly. THR says that Jon Turteltaub, director of the two National Treasure movies, is now signed to direct the film for Fox 2000. Ted Griffin originally sold the script back in the late '90s, and for a while Betty Thomas (Doctor Doolittle) was set to direct. Turteltaub will oversee a new draft, based on the last script turned in by Jordan Roberts.

We complain when another reboot, remake, or needless sequel is added to the parade of films in development, and this one is at least original. Very original, at that, if also very ridiculous. But done well, it could end up in live-action fairy tale territory, and not in the same way that, say, Snow White and the Huntsman wants to do.