MGM checks 'Facttracker' book
David Silverman to direct live action feature
Silverman helmed the animated hits "The Simpsons Movie" and "Monsters, Inc."
The author and his writing partner, Ian Lendler, will pen the script. Shawn Levy will produce with Marc Platt in a co-production between their 21 Laps and Marc Platt Prods. banners.
Tom McNulty and Adam Siegel also will produce.
Book is a fable about Traakerfaxx, a town that produces all the facts in the world. The arrival of a salesman who peddles lies throws the town into chaos, and a young orphan and the reclusive Facttracker team up to save the town from becoming a haven for fibs.
The book, published in January, was illustrated by Pascale Constantin.
Deal is the latest high-profile material acquisition by MGM since Mary Parent became chairman of its motion picture group. Studio recently teamed with Relativity to pay $3 million for the Robert Ludlum book "The Matarese Circle" to be drafted by scribes Michael Brandt and Derek Haas as a franchise vehicle for Denzel Washington, and paid $2 million for the Jay Scherick/David Ronn script "The Zookeeper" for Walt Becker to direct.
Silverman moves up to live-action features after helming the animated pics and serving as director or producer on more than 200 episodes of "The Simpsons" and as story consultant on "Ice Age." He is also developing "The Pet" for Disney.
Endeavor repped Silverman and Levy, and Mary Evans Inc. brokered the book deal.
