Barry Mendel has signed on to produce the fantasy, Inkheart for New Line Cinema.

It's the first in the Cornelia Funke's children's trilogy; she's also producing. Variety says the film stars Brendan Fraser as a father who can bring characters from books to life by reading stories aloud to his daughter. When the father is kidnapped by some of the fantasy villains in the bedtime tales, his daughter and her friends try to free him. it also stars Paul Bettany and Jim Broadbent.

Iain Softley is directing from a screenplay by David Lindsay-Abaire. Production for Inkheart is set to begin in London this fall, and continue in Italy and Shepperton.

Inkheart was released January 23rd, 2009 and stars Brendan Fraser, Sienna Guillory, Eliza Bennett, Richard Strange, Paul Bettany, Helen Mirren, Matt King, Steve Speirs. The film is directed by Iain Softley.