Besson takes 'Heart' in 3-D toon

EuropaCorp acquires adaptation rights to book

By JOHN HOPEWELL

Luc Besson's production, distribution and sales house EuropaCorp has acquired bigscreen adaptation rights to "La Mecanique du coeur" (The Mechanics of the Heart) and will turn Mathias Malzieu's novel into a 3-D animated movie.

Malzieu will write and co-direct.

Set in 1874, story turns on a young man whose heart was replaced at birth with a clock. He should avoid strong emotions, above all love, but can't keep his heart under control.

The story has already inspired an album by Dionysos, which was sold with the novel in an October launch.

Stephane Berla, who directed Dionysos vidclips, will co-direct and Joann Sfar, who contributed graphics for the book and album, will collaborate in the novel-to-screen rendering.

"Mecanique" is the second animated feature to be added to EuropCorp's slate, beyond its two sequels to the "Arthur and the Invisibles" franchise.

"Shark Tale" co-director Eric "Bibo" Bergeron is in production on the 3-D "A Monster in Paris." Skedded for release in April 2010, the tale of a monster attacking Paris in 1910 is voiced by Vanessa Paradis.