If you had Ryan Reynolds making an anti-bullying movie about eating poop on your bingo card, then I am a bit concerned for you. But, you would be one step closer to a bingo. Paramount Animation and Reynolds' production company, Maximum Effort, have teamed up to take on an adaptation of the children's book, I Eat Poop: A Dung Beetle Story. And while that title might raise some reservations, it actually has a very wholesome message.
I Eat Poop, written by Mark Pett, follows the story of Dougie the dung beetle. He loves his family and who they are, but is terrified that anyone at school will find out that he eats poop. He tries so hard to hide that he's a dung beetle, telling everyone he is just a ground beetle and eating lunch away from the lunchroom. But when a classmate is discovered to eat poop as well, Dougie has to choose to stand with his friend or continue hiding.
The premise might be off-putting, but the message of not being ashamed of your identity is powerful. Whether it's religion, culture, ethnicity, or other differences, it is important for kids to learn to celebrate the things that make them unique. It can also be an analogy for standing up for your beliefs and being kind to others. Themes of diversity and inclusion are especially needed when these values are being attacked. So, Ryan Reynolds might be onto something with this idea, even if it seems strange at first.
Reynolds' Maximum Effort has already helped produce several films, though most are not family entertainment. Notably, they worked on the Deadpool sequels, Free Guy, and Spirited. One film they produced, targeted at families, is IF, the story of a girl who helps imaginary friends and their kids reunite. It was directed and written by John Krasinski, and both he and Reynolds star in the film.
Ryan Reynolds might be known more for his raunchy comedies, but if IF is anything to go by, it seems that he has the range to pull off a heartwarming children's film. IF certainly made me cry, and it dealt with heavy themes in a meaningful and age-appropriate way. And I Eat Poop is unique and wacky enough to fit Reynolds' other works. It will be fun to see his spin on this story as it is adapted to film. I never thought I would ever say this, but I might be looking forward to watching a movie about dung beetles learning to appreciate their interesting diet.
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