In a preemptive bid, Touchstone Pictures won rights to turn the Steven J. Cannell-created TV series "The Greatest American Hero" into a live-action feature. The studio has pacted with Cannell and Film Roman for a new take on the story of a normal guy who admires the superheroes he reads about in comics, then gets to become one when a superhero suit comes into his possession.
The studio has signed screenwriters Abby Kohn and Marc Silverstein, who wrote the Drew Barrymore hit comedy "Never Been Kissed," and who are currently readying the sitcom "The Opposite Sex" for Warner Bros. and the Fox network. The duo, who also wrote the comedy "Date School" to which Ben Stiller and Cameron Diaz are attached, will be paid mid- against high-six figures to script "Greatest American Hero" during their series hiatus. Pic will be exec produced by Jon Vein and Wayne Williams.
The TV show starred William Katt as the amiable but inept hero in the red suit. And as in the television series, the film's star will have to get the hang of the suit, while learning there is much more to being a superhero than just wearing Spandex tights.
The pic will be produced by Cannell and Mitchell Solomon, who runs Film Roman's feature side. Film Roman is best known for prolific production of such prime time animated series as the Fox hits "The Simpsons" and "King of the Hill," "The Oblongs" for the WB, "Mission Hill" for Castle Rock and the WB, and "Doomsday," a co-production between ATG and Howard Stern Prods. for UPN. The company is now ramping up to do live-action features as well. Film Roman is producing "My First Mister," the Christine Lahti-directed film that stars Albert Brooks and Leelee Sobieski, which Paramount Classics will distribute. Film Roman development director David Jung brought in the writers.
Touchstone execs Mark Vahradian and Todd Garner made the deal. The scribes were repped by William Morris and 3 Arts. Marti Blumenthal of Writers & Artists repped Cannell.
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