Just in time for Halloween — the durable Addams Family is heading for another incarnation, this time as an MGM animated movie.
MGM is in final negotiations with BermanBraun’s Gail Berman and Lloyd Braun to produce an animated film based on the comedically macabre clan, based on the cartoons created by Charles Addams.
Pamela Pettler, whose credits include “Corpse Bride” and “Monster House,” has been signed to write the screenplay. The film will be exec produced by Andrew Mittman and Kevin Miserocchi.
The Addams Family originated in 150 single panel cartoons by Addams, about half of which were published in The New Yorker between 1938 and Addams’ death in 1988. The characters became famous through ABC’s sitcom, which ran for two seasons between 1964 and 1966 and led to several other TV series, two Paramount live-action films and most recently a Broadway musical.
Chris Meledandri’s Illumination had been developing a Tim Burton-helmed, stop-motion “The Addams Family” movie, but disclosed earlier this year that it had ditched the project.
MGM and BermanBraun announced in June that they had signed a first-look film deal as part of an overall pact to develop content across broadcast and cable.
BermanBraun’s roster of shows include NBC’s series “Camp,” HGTV’s “Garage Sale Wars” and Showtime’s “Polyamory.” The banner is also developing Ben Stiller’s “Rentaghost” at Fox and an adaptation of “Men Are From Mars, Women Are From Venus.”
BermanBraun also announced last week that it was teaming with AOL to overhaul the Moviefone service as a broader destination for entertainment news and content.
