Global story of Penguin Bloom to become a major movie after northern beaches family create book

THE story of a northern beaches family who found solace in a baby magpie after a tragic accident will hit the big screen thanks to Naomi Watts and Reese Witherspoon

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THE story of how a baby magpie helped a northern beaches family cope with a devastating accident will hit the big screen thanks to a pair of Hollywood A-listers.

Celebrity pals, Australian actor Naomi Watts and Oscar winner Reese Witherspoon, were so affected by the story that they are teaming up to produce Penguin Bloom, while Watts will also play mum Sam Bloom.

Sam and Cameron Bloom with their boys Reuben, Noah, and Oli.

As reported in the Manly Daily, Mrs Bloom, 45, of Newport, was paralysed in 2013 after a balcony collapsed in Thailand.

As the family, including dad Cameron, 45, and sons, Northern Beaches Christian School students Reuben, 14, and Noah, 13 and Newport Public School student Oli, 11, struggled to come to terms with her life-changing injuries, help arrived in the form of a baby bird.

The magpie, Penguin, had fallen from his nest at Bilgola Beach.

Bruna Papandrea and Reese Witherspoon will produce the film. Picture: Supplied

Actress Naomi Watts will star as Sam in the film. Picture: Getty Images/Camilla Morandi-Corbis

Becoming tame enough to spend time in their house, he had a huge impact.

Mr Bloom, a photographer, documented the bird’s interaction with his family — gathering 137,000 Instagram fans.

He then produced a book with author Bradley Trevor Greive — Penguin Bloom — to raise money for spinal charities.

Ten per cent of the proceeds go to help people with life-changing injuries.

The Bloom family have two new magpies, Puff and Panda living with the family. Picture: Cameron Bloom

Penguin in the Penguin Bloom book which features images by Cameron Bloom.

The book caught the attention of Witherspoon and producer Bruna Papandrea when Mr Bloom’s friend Emma Cooper, also a producer who will work on the movie, sent it to her in the US.

Mr Bloom said the deal had been six months in the making.

Pictured at their home in Newport with their adopted birds: Sam and Cameron, Oli, Noah and Reuben. Picture: Richard Dobson

“When the book first came out we started getting nibbles with local producers and directors,” he said.

“We always had our heart set on Naomi playing Sam. She’s such an amazing actor and she kind of looks like Sam and she has a lot of depth.”

Mr Bloom said he hoped the film would be shot on the northern beaches.

“They definitely will consider shooting here. It would be amazing,” he said.

Meanwhile, while Penguin has flown the nest, the family has been joined by magpies Puffin and Panda, who were blown from a tree the same spot in October.