Los Angeles (June 17, 2010) - Participant Media and Imagenation Abu Dhabi are joining DreamWorks Studios on the production of the film adaptation of Kathryn Stockett’s #1 New York Times bestselling novel THE HELP. Tate Taylor, a childhood friend of Stockett’s, penned the script and will also direct the movie of the same name. Michael Barnathan, Chris Columbus, and Mark Radcliffe of 1492 Pictures will produce, along with Taylor and his producing partner, Brunson Green, of Harbinger Pictures. Filming is set to begin this summer in and around Greenwood, Mississippi with a cast headed by Emma Stone (ZOMBIELAND) and Viola Davis (Academy Award® nominee for DOUBT). The film is scheduled for a 2011 domestic theatrical release by The Walt Disney Studios.

THE HELP is a provocative look at the South in the 1960s, featuring an aspiring writer (Emma Stone) who turns her friends’ lives—and her whole Mississippi town—upside down when she embarks on a project to interview the household help, who, as it turns out, have a lot to say.

“We are very excited to be joining this amazing assemblage of talent, including our good friends at DreamWorks, for the screen version of Kathryn Stockett’s magnificent novel,” said Ricky Strauss, President of Participant Media. “This emotional and inspiring tale brilliantly conveys how relationships and the human spirit can triumph over circumstances and is exactly the kind of powerful stories we look for at Participant.”

Imagenation Abu Dhabi CEO, Ed Borgerding said: “THE HELP tells a fascinating story about a piece of American history that could be part of any country’s history. It is destined to be an important film and we are excited –with our partners at Participant Media –to be part of this project with DreamWorks Studios who have a history of making both creatively accomplished and financially successful films.”

“’All of us at DreamWorks Studios are thrilled to have Participant and Imagenation on board for THE HELP,” said Holly Bario and Mark Sourian, Co-Presidents of Production at DreamWorks Studios. “They are ideal partners to have on this film and we look forward to working with them to bring Skeeter, Aibileen, Minnie and all the wonderful women of THE HELP to audiences everywhere.”

Propelled by enthusiastic word-of-mouth from a rapidly expanding fan base, the novel has spent 58 weeks on the New York Times Best Sellers list to date, and currently sits at #4, as well as becoming one of the most popular selections for book clubs across the U.S.