Disney Pix strikes up the chorus

Choir preaches to the Mouse House

By CLAUDE BRODESSER, CATHY DUNKLEY

Hoberman

The Walt Disney Co. was wooed by a gospel choir to pay mid-high six figures for a pitch "Oh Happy Day," an English-language remake of the Danish pic of the same name for the Walt Disney Pictures label.

Pic will be produced by David Hoberman's Mandeville Films with Mikkel Bondesen's Fuse Entertainment.

Pitch, penned by Heather Hach ("Freaky Friday"), centers on a woman and how her life was changed by her involvement with a gospel choir.

Producers brought a seven-person gospel choir into the Mouse House that sang songs and hummed inspirational tunes throughout the pitch.

"I don't recall everything they sang," said Hoberman of the medley, "but I can tell you they ended with 'Oh Happy Day.' "

Pic will be exec produced by Mandeville prexy Todd Lieberman. Alex Goldstone will also produce in some capacity.

Danish-lingo pic's original producer Thomas Gammeltoft and co-producer Lene Bausager will serve as co-producers on pic.

Buena Vista Motion Pictures group senior VP Brad Epstein and Doug Short will oversee pic for t he studio.

Fuse is also developing "The Governor's Wife" with Disney and Mandeville.