The good news for the future of Nax Faxon and Jim Rash‘s screenplay is that Shawn Levy has vacated the project (at least the director’s chair) in favor for another installment of Night at the Museum. I guess the better news is, Mandate Pictures have now set Tom Bezucha (The Family Stone) to direct one of the top vote-getter scripts from the 2007 Most Liked list of un-produced screenplays. Looking back at the list, the screenplay can go around town claiming it received more “points” (or found itself in more hands) than Slumdog and The Wrestler.
The Way Back this tells the poignant story of a teenage boy who comes into his own over the course of one summer though an unlikely friendship with the man in charge of a local water park. The boy is able to reconnect with his mom and find the courage to stand up to his bullying stepfather.
Bezucha has been circling many projects including a trio from 20th Century Fox. They had him attached for two book-to-film projects in Orbit and Monte Carlo, while WB have him pegged for a French film remake of Man on the Train. He would direct, while Levy produces along with Paul Young and Peter Principato. The project is being placed on top of Mandate’s priority list with hopes of a 2009 production date start. They were behind the monster hit Juno.
