Ross Flies With Peter; Disappears From Houdini

Linked since last month "The Hunger Games" director Gary Ross has finally committed to call action on "Peter And The Starcatchers" says Deadline.

The pic will be an adaptation of the 2004 fantasy novel by Dave Barry and Ridley Pearson, which itself was recently turned into a multi-award winning Broadway musical.

A prequel of sorts to J. M. Barrie's "Peter Pan", the story follows a young Peter who befriends Molly, a shipmate he meets on the Never Land ship headed toward King Zarboff. Molly tells Peter of a mysterious trunk filled with magical starstuff that must remain out of the hands of the pirate Black Stache (who will lose his hand and become Captain Hook). Peter and Molly lead an effort to recover the trunk.

Jesse Wigutow is writing the adapted script with the studio suits currently waiting on a new draft to be delivered in October.

Though not yet budgeted, Ross hopes to get into production by next year.  This news signals that Ross has seemingly passed on directing "The Secret Life of Houdini" which had not gotten past the prelim stage.