Ryan Reynolds, ‘Strange World’ Writer-Director Qui Nguyen Tackling Movie Based on Disney Theme Park Attraction ‘Society of Explorers and Adventurers’

Ryan Reynolds is teaming up with Qui Nguyen, the writer and co-director of Disney’s upcoming animated feature Strange World, to adapt the company’s Society of Explorers and Adventurers theme park attraction as a film.

Nguyen will write what is intended to be a live-action feature take with Reynolds producing via his banner, Maximum Effort.

This new feature project is different from the upcoming Disney+ series from exec producer and writer Ron Moore (For All Mankind) that is also based on the SEA ride. Moore’s series is set in the Magic Kingdom Universe, where the themed lands and characters of Disney’s parks and classic films exist in another reality.

According to insiders, Nguyen’s take for the feature pursues alternative angles to SEA mythology in the present day by adding a new supernatural element to the history and following new characters not present in the original SEA lore. 

The SEA, as the Society attraction is known, first appeared at Tokyo Disneyland and has a detailed mythology behind it: The Society was founded in 1538 in Italy and expanded around the globe as an organization that consists of not only explorers and adventurers but also scientists, artists and travelers. It also features a host of characters with names such as Harrison Hightower III, Mary Oceaneer, and Lord Henry Mystic. Part of the SEA consists of having paraphernalia pop up around various other theme park rides and attractions.

The intention is to launch a franchise with the project.

Nguyen wrote Disney’s Strange World and co-directed with veteran Don Hall. The adventure-oriented movie, with a voice cast that includes Jake Gyllenhaal, Dennis Quaid and Jaboukie Young-White, debuts Nov. 23. Nguyen also co-wrote Raya and the Last Dragon, which was nominated for the best animated Oscar earlier this year, while also earning him a best writing nomination at the Annie Awards.

Reynolds will next shoot Deadpool 3 for Disney-owned Marvel Studios with Shawn Levy at the helm and Hugh Jackman as his co-pilot.

Nguyen is repped by Paradigm, The Cartel and Jackoway Austen.