Patrick Ness to Adapt Dallergut Dream Dept Store for

Patrick Ness, the acclaimed author and screenwriter known for A Monster Calls, has been tapped to adapt the popular South Korean novel Dallergut Dream Department Store for Disney’s live-action development slate. The project, which has been in the works at the studio for some time, marks another high-profile literary acquisition for Disney as it continues to mine international bestsellers for family-oriented features.

The source material, written by Lee Mi-ye, is a whimsical fantasy that has captivated readers across Asia and beyond. It tells the story of a mysterious department store that operates only while customers are asleep, accessible exclusively through their dreams. Each floor of the sprawling establishment offers a different type of dream product - from sweet nostalgia to chilling nightmares - and the narrative follows Penny, a new employee, as she learns the delicate craft of helping customers find exactly the dream they need, even when they don't know it themselves.

Ness, a Carnegie Medal winner, brings a distinct blend of emotional depth and speculative imagination to the adaptation. His previous work on A Monster Calls, both the novel and the film adaptation, demonstrated a rare ability to translate complex feelings into visual storytelling. That film, directed by J.A. Bayona, was widely praised for its handling of grief and loss through a fantasy lens, a sensibility that aligns well with the gentle, melancholic tone of Lee’s novel. Disney has not yet attached a director or cast, but Ness’s involvement suggests the studio is prioritizing a strong narrative voice over spectacle.

The announcement arrives at a time when Disney has been increasingly looking to global literature for fresh IP. The success of animated features like Encanto and Coco proved the appetite for culturally specific stories with universal themes, and live-action adaptations like The Little Mermaid have kept the studio’s remake pipeline active. However, Dallergut Dream Department Store represents a different kind of bet: an original, non-Western property with no pre-existing English-language fan base. This move signals confidence in the story’s inherent charm rather than reliance on established brand recognition.

For Ness, this marks a return to the kind of intimate, character-driven fantasy that defines his best work. He has also been attached to other high-profile projects, including a long-gestating adaptation of The Knife of Never Letting Go, which eventually reached screens in 2021 with mixed results. That experience may have taught him the perils of over-stuffed blockbuster expectations, but Dallergut offers a more contained, episodic structure - perfect for adaptation as a single film or even a limited series, though Disney has stated its intention for a theatrical release.

The novel’s episodic format is both a challenge and an opportunity. Each chapter follows a different customer visiting the department store, solving a personal emotional puzzle through their purchased dream. Translating that structure to a cohesive screenplay requires a strong through-line, and Ness’s background in short stories and character sketches makes him a fitting choice. He has a proven knack for weaving interconnected vignettes into a single emotional arc, as seen in his Chaos Walking trilogy and his more recent short story collections.

While no release date has been set, industry observers expect the project to move into pre-production quickly. The visual potential is immense - a dream department store could be a playground for imaginative production design, with shifting floors, surreal customer requests, and a palette that transitions from soft pastels to vivid, unsettling hues. Ness will need to balance that spectacle with the book’s quieter philosophical questions about memory, desire, and the stories we tell ourselves at night.

Disney’s choice of a live-action format, rather than animation, is notable given the source material’s dreamlike logic. Live action carries a higher risk of falling into uncanny territory, but it also grounds the fantasy in a tactile reality that makes the emotional stakes feel more immediate. The studio has had success with this approach in films like Tomorrowland and the upcoming Tron sequel, both of which lean into practical effects and real locations wherever possible.

For fans of the novel, which has spawned multiple sequels and a devoted readership, Ness’s involvement will likely be seen as a positive sign. His literary reputation carries weight, and his willingness to take creative risks - evident in his work on the Doctor Who spinoff Class and his original graphic novel The Last Dragon - suggests he won’t merely deliver a sanitized studio product. Instead, he may push for a more adult-oriented take, a decision that could either broaden the film’s appeal or alienate younger viewers.

As with any adaptation, the key will be fidelity to the novel’s tone. Dallergut Dream Department Store is not a high-stakes adventure; it’s a contemplative, occasionally sad exploration of human vulnerability. Ness has never shied away from difficult emotions in his work, and that courage is precisely what this project needs. If he can capture the novel’s gentle wisdom and pair it with Disney’s production resources, this could be one of the more distinctive live-action films the studio has produced in years.

Until more details emerge, audiences can only speculate on casting and release timing. But one thing is certain: with Patrick Ness at the helm, the dream department store is in thoughtful, capable hands.

Source: The Hollywood Reporter