The rascally – and beloved – children’s literary heroine Eloise will come to life on Netflix in a new movie that will feature Ryan Reynolds as the baddie.

Mae Schenk will take on the title role in a live-action Eloise film, based on the children’s book series written by Kay Thompson and illustrated by Hilary Knight. First published in 1955, Eloise: a Book for Precocious Grown-ups was about a mischievous young girl who lives on the “tippy-top floor” of the iconic New York City landmark Plaza Hotel. Four other books written by Thompson were published, and after the author’s death Simon & Schuster continued publishing books “in the style” of the original author and illustrator.

A live-action Eloise film has been in development since 2020. Netflix has described the movie as a “wholly original adventure,” with Reynolds playing an “original villainous character” in the movie, according to Netflix.

The film will be directed by Amy Sherman-Palladino, who created Gilmore Girls and The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel, with Hannah Marks and Linda Woolverton co-writing the screenplay with Sherman-Palladino.

“Eloise has been beloved for generations, from when she was first published in the 1950s through to today, when no family trip to New York City is complete without a stop at The Plaza,” said Hannah Minghella, Netflix’s head of feature animation and family film. “It’s an honor to reintroduce this cherished character to the world with two people who share her signature mischief and charm—Amy Sherman-Palladino and Ryan Reynolds—in this bold, hilarious, and heartfelt new family film.”

Eloise has been the subject of made-for-television movies, including Eloise at the Plaza and Eloise at Christmastime for Walt Disney TV in 2003. An animated TV series called Me, Eloise! ran on the Starz Kids and Family Network in 2006.

Reynolds and his company Maximum Effort will also produce the project.

“When Amy introduced us to Mae Schenk, we knew instantly she was Eloise,” said Maximum Effort’s co-presidents of production Ashley Fox and Johnny Pariseau. “She’s got the spark, the wit, and just the right amount of mischief. We’re so excited to introduce her to the world with our friends at MRC and Netflix.”

Netflix has yet to divulge plot details or other casting news, and the release date has yet to be determined, but it will likely come out in 2026.