Penguin Piper

Mark Waters ("Freaky Friday," "Mean Girls") is circling a film adaptation of Richard & Florence Atwater's beloved tale "Mr. Popper's Penguins says Variety.

The book follows Mr. Popper, a house painter whose dreams of Arctic exploration prompt him to write letters to real explorers. One of them sends him a penguin, which he keeps in the icebox.

Before he knows it, the painter has a litter of twelve beaked birds. They eat voraciously, leading him to form Popper's Performing Penguins, a stage act that goes on tour and creates mayhem at every stop.

Sean Anders and John Morris, ("Sex Drive") are writing the script adaptation.

John Davis is producing the pic

Greenberg writer/director Noah Baumbach and star Ben Stiller were previously considering re-teaming for the project but are no longer involved. Instead, Jim Carrey, Jack Black and Owen Wilson are all said to be keen on doing the pic.