AceShowbiz -

Brewing a potential project titled "Houdini" under its banner, Walden Media has picked up Brett Merryman to pen the screenplay for the flick, Variety has reported.

Names to star have not yet been revealed, but it is said that the picture will concern a 14-year-old boy who discovers he's a descendant of Harry Houdini and embarks on a quest to unravel the secrets of his ancestor's past. Seating as the director is Mark Waters who is also in charge to helm "The Spiderwick Chronicles", a big screen adaptation of Holly Black and Tony DiTerlizzi's bestselling children's book series of the same name.

For Merryman, the stint is the third writing task he is assigned to after previously penning for "Beach House" and "The Good Mother." Apart from being a screenwriter, the man once seated as producer in "Art House" and became a second unit director to Eric Weston in his 2002 thriller "Hitters."