A Monster Calls, Juan Antonio Bayona’s adventure fantasy follow-up to The Impossible, will arrive in theatres in wide release in late 2016.

The film is set to open on October 14 2016. Focus Features will handle the US release and co-finances with international sales agent Lionsgate International, River Road Entertainment and Participant Media.

The story centres on a bullied youngster with an ailing mother who constructs a fantasy world as a coping mechanism.

Patrick Ness adapts the screenplay from his children’s fantasy novel. Belen Atienza of Apache produces and the executive producers are River Road’s Bill Pohlad and Mitch Horwits, Participant Media’s Jeff Skoll and Jonathan King and Lionsgate Motion Picture Group co-chairman Patrick Wachsberger.

Universal Pictures International will handle the Spanish theatrical and home entertainment release.