Universal and Imagine were reported to be finalizing a deal with Brad Bird to direct a "Curious George" film that combined live action and computer-generated imagery (CGI) in October 1999. In July 2001, the newly-merged Vivendi Universal announced that it had acquired Houghton Mifflin, with plans to make Curious George the company's new mascot, coincident with the film's development and release (Houghton Mifflin would be sold the following year due to Vivendi's mounting financial pressures). Bird left the project after the studios decided to shift the film to all-CGI, and in December 2001, it was reported that Universal was in negotiations with David Silverman to direct the film. In September 2003, it was announced that Jun Falkenstein signed on to direct the screenplay. According to David Brewster (an animation supervisor for the film), Falkenstein was later fired by the studio and replaced by Matthew O'Callaghan in August 2004.