Spielberg to produce War Horse

Steven Spielberg's DreamWorks Studios has acquired the film rights to former children’s laureate Michael Morpurgo’s novel War Horse, which is currently enjoying a run in West End theatre.

Spielberg, Kathleen Kennedy, Frank Marshall and Revel Guest are producing the film while “Billy Elliot”’s Lee Hall is to write the screenplay, according to the Hollywood Reporter.

"From the moment I read Michael Morpurgo's novel I knew this was a film I wanted DreamWorks to make," Spielberg said. "Its heart and its message provide a story that can be felt in every country."

The book tells the story of a friendship between a boy and his horse, who become separated but continue to be intertwined as they try to survive the horrors of the First World War.