Earlier this year, Nick Stoller ("Forgetting Sarah Marshall") came onboard the upcoming "Stretch Armstrong" adaptation as a screenwriter, joining director Rob Letterman ("Monsters vs. Aliens") and "Twilight" star Taylor Lautner in the title role.
And while the original "Stretch Armstrong" toy is essentially a blank slate, Stoller recently indicated that the film will feature an entirely new version of the character with a slightly more conventional tone.
"Rob had a great take on 'Stretch' and he told me about it, and I said, 'Please let me write it,'" said Stoller during an interview with ComingSoon.net. "It's a superhero origin story taking it totally seriously, kind of in the 'Iron Man' tone — for lack of a better descriptor. We're taking it seriously, but it will have a light tone to it."
"Hasbro has an idea of it and it's based on a new version of that character," continued Stoller. "It's kind of a blank slate. There wasn't really much of a backstory to the original Stretch Armstrong so we're just kind of inventing it from the ground up."
"With 'Stretch,' I don't think there are a ton of original Stretch Armstrong fans out there," added Stoller. "It's more about creating a universe of superheroes that I'm really excited about. Rob and I have cracked a pretty cool story I think and Rob has a really cool take on what this can be, and it's going to be a huge budget spectacular thing."
"I love 'Iron Man,' I love 'The Dark Knight' and it's exciting to get to play in this world," related Stoller. "Because the budgets of these comedies are pretty small, and to get to do something that's just gigantic and exciting but a totally grounded human story at the center of it that I think people are going to respond to."
Stoller has previously collaborated with Letterman on "Gulliver's Travels," a comedy starring Jack Black which will be released later this year. Stoller has also written the screenplays for "Fun With Dick and Jane" and "Yes Man," both of which starred Jim Carey.
"Stretch Armstrong" film is currently slated to be released in 2012.
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