Screen Talk: Chest the job for a scriptwriter

Matthew McConaughey isn't just a pretty chest. The star is developing a script for his production ambitions entitled 'Exchange Student'. Word is that McConaughey has no plans to star in the movie but will appear in one of the lesser roles. The project is sketched out as a comedy about two college freshmen going in opposite directions, literally. McConaughey has signed up-and- coming writer Mike Vukadinovich to pen the script about one student who ships out from the US and one who comes in. One has the time of his life, the other goes off the rails. The tenor of the project is described as a family comedy with wry overtones a la Wes Anderson. McConaughey generated the story and will produce through his J K Livin production banner.

Au Pair shaped

Drew Barrymore is looking to produce an adaptation of Melissa de la Cruz's teen girl novel 'The Au Pairs'. Barrymore, who will produce under the Flower Films production label for Warner Bros, has enlisted Liz Garcia to adapt the first book in the series. De la Cruz's novels detail the flirty fun of three teenage girls who answer an ad to become au pairs for the summer. Warner Bros picked up the film rights to the books in 2006, before 'Gossip Girl', itself derived from a series of teen-girl titles, launched.

Sequel Wanted

Never let it be said that Hollywood pigeonholes writers. Who better to pen a sequel to the violent action flick 'Wanted' than Evan Spiliotopoulos, the co-writer of 'Pooh's Heffalump Movie' and its DVD Halloween spin off. Universal has employed Spiliotopoulos to come up with a draft script for 'Wanted 2' based on a story by Chris Morgan. Like the original 2008 film, the sequel is based on the comic series created by Mark Millar and J G Jones. The Russian director Timur Bekmambetov, who shot the first film, is attached to direct.

What is that suit doing on set?

Doctors may make the worst patients, but what about suits becoming filmmakers? Moviemakers love to complain about restrictions placed on them by the suits at studios, but director Kent Alterman knows how it feels. Alterman, a former New Line suit, who served as exec-producer on a slew of the studio's hits including 'Elf' and 'A History of Violence,' is polishing his directorial resumé. Having made his debut with the Will Ferrell basketball comedy 'Semi-Pro', Alterman is in line to direct and develop 'Treehouse Gang'. Billed as a grown-up adventure tale at Warner Bros, the project centres on a Timothy Dowling's spec script about a group of six childhood friends who get together in their twenties for a treasure hunt. It's being touted as a grown-up version of 'The Goonies'.

Blondes have more fun again

Everyone knows being blonde in Hollywood still works. Look how busy Kristen Bell is. The actress has signed to headline Disney comedy 'You Again', directed by Andy Fickman. Written by Moe Jelline, the story follows a young woman who finds out her brother is marrying the girl who made her high school years a living hell. She tries to find a way to show her brother the fianceé's true colours. It is scheduled to go before the cameras in LA this summer. Bell just wrapped shooting Universal's comedy 'Couples Retreat' with Vince Vaughn, Jon Favreau and Jason Bateman and her previous credits include 'Forgetting Sarah Marshall', 'Fanboys' and television's 'Gossip Girl'.