Automatic, Bel-Air catch 'Catastrophe'

Goldberg to pen adaptation of Carkeet novel

By DANA HARRIS

Steven Reuther's Warner Bros. Pictures-based Bel-Air Entertainment and Frank Beddor's Automatic Pictures will produce an adaptation of the David Carkeet novel "The Full Catastrophe." Harris Goldberg ("Deuce Bigalow: Male Gigolo") will pen the script.

In "Catastrophe," a failed romantic assumes his brother's identity as a renowned psychiatrist in order to be hired as an inhouse, round-the-clock marriage counselor. When his ineptitude pushes a couple to the brink of disaster, he must save their relationship as well as his sibling's reputation.

Beddor, who has long tracked the book's feature rights, brought the project to Bel-Air senior veep Keri Selig. She will oversee development with exec Heather Courtney.

New York lit agent Barney Karpfinger repped Carkeet in the deal. Goldberg is repped by the Gersh Agency. Bel-Air was repped in the deal by Philip Elway and Ann Du Val, with Automatic repped by attorney Steven J. Goldfisher.