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Brad Silberling is in talks to direct "Juno," a Diablo Cody-scripted coming-of-age comedy to be financed by Mandate Pictures. Pic will shoot next spring.

With an $8 million budget, the film is far more modest than Silberling's last film, "Lemony Snicket's A Series of Unfortunate Events." He was looking for a breather between big studio projects and chose an intimate story with a squarely indie spirit.

Story concerns a teen who discovers she is pregnant, decides to have the baby and deals with all the inherent complexities that include growing close to the couple who will adopt the kid. The subject matter is handled with quirky humor akin to "Napoleon Dynamite."

Lianne Halfon, Russ Smith and John Malkovich of Mr. Mudd are producing with Mason Novick. Mandate's Joe Drake and Nathan Kahane are exec producing. Mandate's Jim Miller will oversee the project.