"Zombieland" director Ruben Fleischer is developing Mike White's action-comedy "Babe in the Woods," with plans to direct the Columbia Pictures project.
Matt Tolmach and Doug Belgrad, presidents of Columbia Pictures, announced the deal Tuesday.
White's screenplay centers on a female freshman from the Midwest who arrives at Yale and becomes a target of the New Jersey mob.
White will produce the project through his Rip Cord Productions banner. Rip Cord’s David Bernad also will serve as a producer on the film.
"Our experience working with Ruben on 'Zombieland' was nothing short of amazing," Tolmach said in a statement. "We love what Mike did with this script and could not be more thrilled to develop 'Babe in the Woods' with these two guys. They bring the perfect blend of comedy and attitude to their projects."
Fleischer also is attached to direct MRC movie "30 Minutes or Less," produced by Ben Stiller's Red Hour and with Danny McBride, Aziz Ansari and Jesse Eisenberg attached to star.
Fleischer also recently sold an untitled action-comedy pitch to DreamWorks, which he will direct and produce with Nicholas Stoller and Gavin Polone.
White's pilot "Enlightened" was recently picked up by HBO, and he's writing the comedy "Santa Wars" for Paramount Pictures and producing it with Scott Rudin.
