The novel has been adapted more than ten times. The latest venture will feature direction by Roman Polanski and a screenplay by Ronald Harwood. Variety also reports that the team which won Academy Awards for last year's "The Pianist" will shoot the film next summer in Europe with a British cast. Alain Sarde and Robert Benmussa will produce. Polanski told the industry paper that he was inspired by his own children — ages five and ten — to offer his own version of the Dickens book. "I love Dickens and I want to make a family movie," said the award-winning director.

"Oliver Twist" tells the story of a runaway orphan who meets a pickpocket in London. Twist then joins a group of other runaways who are trained to steal by an older man named Fagin.

A musical version of the Dickens tale — Oliver! — was written by Lionel Bart and featured such tunes as "Food, Glorious Food," "Consider Yourself," "As Long As He Needs Me" and "You've Got to Pick a Pocket or Two." A film of the musical was also made in 1968, directed by Carol Reed.