AceShowbiz -

Four decades have passed since moviegoers saw the story of von Trapp family depicted in "The Sound of Music" and it's probably the right time for another picture about them to come up to the surface. A new project presenting Captain Georg von Trapp's great grandchildren is reportedly in development to be brought into a big screen by John Demers, the CEO of privately held Studio in the Woods in Durham, North Carolina.

Tentatively titled "Von Trapp Children Christmas Movie", the picture includes four von Trapp family descendants namely Sofia, Melanie, Amanda, and Justin along with onetime child star Jerry Mathers of "Leave It to Beaver" fame in the cast lineup. The foursome previously spent several years to tour around the world dressing up in Austrian costumes and singing "The Lonely Goatherd", "Do-Re-Me" also "Favorite Things."

Concerning the project, 18-year-old Sofia, the eldest of the brood, revealed that she and her siblings will be "pretty much playing ourselves" while also singing in the film though she has added that "It's not a musical." The story itself will follow the four kids carrying a "very special" Christmas tree in their journey to head home from their busy concert schedule for a holiday visit with family.

Budgeted less than $4 million, pic is expected to begin filming by late December in the kids' home state of Montana to meet a December 2007 release. "Breaking the Rules" screenwriter Paul Shapiro has been tapped to pen the script with "Star Trek"-based creative team serving as cinematographer, production designer, and composer.