Grazer
Imagine Entertainment's Brian Grazer has reached out to produce "Stretch Armstrong," the first pic that will bow through Universal Pictures' six-year pact with toymaker Hasbro.
Studio will release the family actioner on April 15, 2011.
Grazer, who is currently producing a new take on "Robin Hood" for the studio, will produce the pic, based on the popular 1970s action figure whose limbs could be stretched to nearly four feet. Hasbro's prexy- CEO Brian Goldner and Bennett Schneir also serve as producers.
"Stretch Armstrong is a character I have wanted to see onscreen for a long time," said Grazer, who is also behind a reboot of "The Incredible Shrinking Man" at U. "He's an unconventional kind of superhero with a power that no one would want." Steve Oedekerk has already begun tackling the script for the comedy.
Hasbro has been eyeing movies as a way to relaunch the toy (originally introduced by Kenner) as a new superhero franchise. Character also had a dog named Fetch Armstrong and sibling Evil X-Ray Wretch Armstrong.
Disney attempted to adapt the property in 1998, with Danny DeVito and Jackie Chan.
Universal and Hasbro are also developing pics based on Monopoly, with Ridley Scott; Clue, with Gore Verbinski; Candyland, with Kevin Lima directing; Battleship, with Peter Berg at the helm; and Ouija, through Michael Bay's Platinum Dunes.
Contact Marc Graser at
marc.graser@variety.com