Steven Spielberg Directed The Oscar Nominated Film Version Of War Horse
The six times Oscar nominated film version of Michael Morpurgo’s novel War Horse has had a dramatic effect on the sales of the book as more copies were sold in the UK over the last two weeks than had previously been sold worldwide during the previous 25 years.
The story of War Horse is about Joey a farm horse and his owner who are separated and then magically tells the tail of how Joey’s life unfolds eventually ending up on the battlefields during World War One.
The previously little known story by Michael Morpurgo first caught the imagination of the public when it was adapted into a stage version by the National Theatre and opened in 2007.
Puppet horses were used on stage to perform the show which has now become a hit in the West End and by the end of this year will see productions taking place in London, Melbourne, Toronto and New York.
Steven Spielberg directed the film version which is an adaptation from both the stage version and the book.
Over the past fortnight the book published by Egmont Press has sold over 30,000 copies each week in comparison to the 50,000 that were sold worldwide from 1982 until 2007.
Egmont Press managing director Cally Poplak said that “A great story has universal appeal and War Horse is receiving the success it always deserved”.
