Scribes penciled in for 'Drawn'

Fox 2000 is drawing on scribes Keith Merryman and David A. Newman to pen the Katherine Heigl action-comedy "Drawn Together."

Details of the project are being kept under wraps. The studio would only say the film centers on an electronics designer who meets the woman of his dreams, only to find out that she's not who she seems to be.

Heigl will star as well as produce with manager and mom Nancy Heigl under their Abishag shingle.

Robert Kosberg and Bruce Nash are executive producing under the Nash Entertainment shingle. The two pitched the idea to Heigl and her mom based on a concept by Kosberg's former writing partner David Simon.

Spyglass Entertainment's Roger Birnbaum, Gary Barber and Jonathan Glickman also are producing. Fox 2000's Rodney Ferrell is overseeing for the studio.

Merryman and Newman have a series in development at the CW called "How-To Girl," for producers Christine Peters, Lynda Obst and Paramount. The series is based on the film "How to Lose a Guy in 10 Days."

The writing duo's recent work also includes "Too Many Husbands" with Red Wagon Prods. for Columbia, a rewrite for "Outsourced" at Columbia and a polish on "Burlesque" for Screen Gems and director Steve Antin.

"We met a lot of writers, and these were the ones who came in with a fully written-out story and captured a great character for Katherine to play," Kosberg said. "We loved the character they created, we loved the sense of humor and loved the action set pieces they brought with the pitch."

Merryman and Newman are repped by APA and Circle of Confusion.


By LESLIE SIMMONS, "Hollywood Reporter"
Printed: Tue., Sep. 16, 2008, Los Angeles