Francophiles, French students, and children of all ages will be excited to hear that a film adaptation of Antoine de Saint-Exupéry’s masterpiece, “Le Petit Prince” (“The Little Prince”) will be released in theaters later this year.

The children’s book, long a staple of French classrooms, is beloved around the world for its themes of spirit, love, and creativity. The narrator of the story, a character based on Saint-Exupéry’s own experiences as a French aviator during World War II, crash lands in the Sahara Desert, where he is visited by the golden-haired Little Prince from Asteroid B612. The book is not just for children; while on the surface, it may appear to be a children’s story, it has some messages applicable to readers of all ages. The book has sold 140 million copies worldwide, more than “Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone,” according to news website The Verge.

Much about the film remains unknown, but a French trailer has been released that provides a glimpse of what it will be about. The film introduces a twist to the familiar story; instead of merely adapting Saint-Exupéry’s book to the big screen, director Mark Cameron (known for “Kung Fu Panda”) sets “Le Petit Prince” as a story within another story. The film centers on the relationship between a young girl and an elderly man next door, the pilot from the original book. From the trailer, it appears like the girl initially leads a boring, adult life of math problems, starched school uniforms, and gray. After becoming friends with the old man and after learning about his interactions with the Little Prince, the young girl leaves the confines of her overly regulated life and begins to explore all the world has to offer.

The film will be animated using two different techniques: standard Pixar-style animation, as well as a bright stop-motion animation that recalls the book’s original illustrations. “Le Petit Prince” is renowned for Saint-Exupéry’s enchanting watercolors, which add a sparkle of life to the pages of his story. Judging based on the trailer, the stop-motion techniques seem to capture the essence of the author’s artwork. While diehard fans may object to the placement of Saint-Exupéry’s tale within the context of another story, they will certainly not object to the cinematography.

“Le Petit Prince”  is set be released on July 27 in France, but Paramount, the U.S. producer, has not yet released a date when it will be available in American theaters. Several sources including the movie news website Screenrant speculate that the film could be released late in the year in an attempt to gain a nomination for the 2016 Oscars.