Smith, Houston in 'Love'
Pair attached to star in U pic
U bought the spec for a mid-six-figure pricetag, beating out Touchstone, Paramount and Columbia.
Sources said Smith and Houston were attached only if the project went to Universal.
The project will be the first fruit of the pricey production deal that Smith cut with U last fall. His overall pact with production partner James Lassiter seemed designed by U to corral Smith as a star as well as producer.
Pic is about a man who dumps his girlfriend and then realizes eight months later that she's the love of his life and that he'll do anything to get her back.
On "Anything for Love," Smith and Lassiter's Overbrook Prods. and Houston and Debra Martin Chase's BrownHouse Prods. will be producers.
David Klawans, who developed the script with Flynn, will exec produce.
U senior VP of production Mary Parent brought the project in and will oversee it for the studio along with co-president of production Stacey Snider.
Flynn's credits include the 1992 Peter Gallagher/Suzy Amis pic "Watch It."
William Morris agents Nicole David and Sara Bottfeld and attorney Gary Pearl brokered the deals for Flynn, Houston and BrownHouse.
Andy Cohen, a manager with Grade A Entertainment, also repped Flynn.
