Deadline reports that Universal has green lit the appropriately titled “Whales,” and cast former “Captain America” contender John Krasinski alongside Drew Barrymore. The film is about a family of whales that become trapped under ice in the Arctic Circle. Krasinski will play a journalist that first nabs the story, while Barrymore plays a Greenpeace activist. Together, they spread the story internationally and most likely end up falling in love. Could Krasinski’s drive for a story get in the way of Barrymore’s actual interest in the animals’ well being, thus making their romance a tad rocky? Maybe. But fear not, folks — we’re sure he’ll learn his lesson and get a kiss in the end.
The family friendly film might sound similar to “Free Willy,” but it’s actually based on an incident in 1988, when the U.S. and Soviet Union took a break from the Cold War to work together and save these whales. It’s unclear how faithful it will remain to the actual story, as the plot synopsis doesn’t mention the politics (which could be somewhat interesting but confusing for the younger audience members). It also doesn’t say if it will take place in 1988, which may be avoided so the film doesn’t get dated over time. It’s not like the story isn’t relevant, and it may suffer from focusing too much on its time period, considering it’s made for kids and their parents alike. The filmmakers might be better off hitting the green/animal welfare button.
The film will probably be pretty cut and dry, with bad guys and good guys and nothing in between. Ken Kwapis will be helming the picture and has worked with both actors before, directing Krasinski in “License To Wed” and a handful of episodes of “The Office,” and Barrymore in “He’s Just Not That Into You.” We think those track records speak for themselves. The writers, Jack Amiel and Michael Begler, were two of the eight credited writers for Tim Allen’s “The Shaggy Dog.” So don’t expect anything other than semi-tolerable going into this one with your children. The pic is expected to shoot in fall of 2010, depending on Krasinski’s schedule with “The Office.”