U, Imagine sign 'Incredible' man

'Nutty 2' helmer Segal inks 2-year, first-look deal

By MICHAEL FLEMING

NEW YORK — Pete Segal, who directed the upcoming Imagine/Universal comedy “The Nutty Professor 2: The Klumps” and will helm Eddie Murphy in “The Incredible Shrinking Man,” has been signed by the studio and producer to a two-year, first-look production deal.

Deal for Greenhaven Films — the shingle Segal set up with partner Michael Ewing — begins with “Shrinking Man,” a pic Segal is writing with Fred Wolf for Universal and Imagine. Under the deal, Segal and Ewing will also develop original material to help continue Imagine’s prolific output of comedies. At the same time, Greenhaven is developing its first Internet project for Imagine’s Pop.com venture.

Segal previously directed “Tommy Boy,” “Naked Gun 33 1/3” and “My Fellow Americans,” but advance tests on “Nutty 2” indicate it has a chance to become his biggest hit to date and it’s the reason Universal prexy Kevin Misher and Imagine topper Brian Grazer signed him to the overall deal.

“When I saw what a phenomenal job Peter was doing on ‘Nutty Professor 2’ and the great chemistry he had with Eddie, I was thrilled when I found another project that I thought would be perfectly suited to both their talents with ‘Shrinking Man,’ ” Grazer said. “Now, I’m delighted that this relationship can be even more long-term.”