It is a movie that holds a special place in the hearts of many children of the 70s and 80s, but another generation is soon to be introduced to the wondrous world of Storm Boy and Mr Percival the pelican.

Sony Pictures has released the trailer for the remake of the 1976 classic movie, with the new film to appear in cinemas from January 10.

The film stars Australian actor Geoffrey Rush, whose defamation trial against the Daily Telegraph is due to go to trial in October.

As per the original movie, the story centres on Mike, played by Queensland actor Finn Little, a young boy who is caught up in a storm at a remote beach in South Australia's Coorong region trying to save his friend Hideaway Tom.

Little was chosen for the role after a nationwide search for the ultimate "storm boy", who was wild at heart and could enjoy the outside world, away from technology.

Rush plays the grown-up version of Mike, recounting his childhood adventures to his troubled granddaughter.

Loading...

Much-loved characters including the pelican Mr Percival and Fingerbone Bill also return in the new Storm Boy.

A new Mr Percival was recruited and trained for the movie, with the pelican who starred in the original film dying at Adelaide Zoo in September 2009.

David Gulpilil returns to the big screen in a cameo role as Fingerbone Bill's father.

The movie was filmed on South Australia's south coast last year and was due to be released this year, but will now be released during the competitive summer holiday period at the start of next year.

Producer Matthew Street said the locations for the film would remain true to the settings in Colin Thiele's book, focussing on South Australia's picturesque Coorong region and Adelaide.

It is now being distributed by Sony Pictures, which bought the Australian rights to the film in June.

The South Australian Government contributed $500,000 towards the production.

The film is also in the process of being made into a video game, with a release date to be announced soon.

The single player exploration game, produced by Blowfish Studios, will be coming to Steam, PS4, Xbox One, Nintendo Switch, iOS and Android in late 2018.

Loading...

Rush is suing the Telegraph and its reporter Johnathan Moran over articles alleging he engaged in inappropriate behaviour while performing in a Sydney Theatre Company (STC) production of King Lear.

The trial was due to start next month, but has been delayed because Eryn-Jean Norvill — the actress at the centre of The Daily Telegraph's allegations — has been added to the newspaper's witness list.

The allegations include that in October 2015, during rehearsals, Rush "made groping gestures in the air about the complainant's torso" and made "comments … which contained sexual innuendo" as well as "lewd gestures".

Rush has denied the allegations.