Ryan Reynolds’ Maximum Effort, ‘Free Guy’ Writer Matt Lieberman Team With Paramount Animation for ‘Mighty Mouse’ Movie (EXCLUSIVE)

Paramount Animation is enlisting some A-list talent in its long-running efforts to finally bring “Mighty Mouse” to the big screen.

The studio has tapped Maximum Effort Productions, Ryan Reynolds’ production company, to produce a feature adaptation of the popular cartoon as part of their first-look deal with the studio. In addition, Paramount Animation has also hired Matt Lieberman, who worked with Reynolds on the 2021 fantasy-adventure “Free Guy,” to pen the script.

Mighty Mouse has been around since 1942, with the pint-sized superhero making his debut in a short film entitled, “The Mouse of Tomorrow.” He’d go on to star in dozens of other shorts over the ensuing decades, as well as a Saturday morning cartoon, which was responsible for “Mighty Mouse Theme (Here I Come to Save the Day),” an earworm of an opener if ever there was one. Mighty Mouse would be reimagined and rebooted several times, but more recent efforts to bring the cuddly adventurer to screens, including one involving the team behind the “Red” franchise and “The Meg,” have faltered. Brad Butler, vice president of animated features, is overseeing the “Mighty Mouse” project for Paramount Animation.

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In addition to “Free Guy,” Lieberman’s writing credits include “The Christmas Chronicles” and its sequel, “Rumble,” “Scoob!” and “The Addams Family.” Reynolds, of course, scored a massive hit with last summer’s “Deadpool & Wolverine” and also appeared in last summer’s “If” for Paramount. Maximum Effort has several projects in development with Paramount including “Boy Band,” a comedy about a music group’s reunion; “Starter Villain, an adaptation of the bestselling science-fiction novel by John Scalzi; and “Eloise,” a big-screen version of the beloved family book series. In February, Maximum Effort announced it was renewing its deal with Paramount through 2026.

Lieberman is represented by CAA, Lit Entertainment Group, Mortimer PR, and Lichter, Grossman, Nichols, Feldman, Rogal, Shikora & Clark.