A big screen adaptation of the TV show Dallas is now being directed by The Brady Bunch Movie's Betty Thomas. According to Variety, Regency and 20th Century Fox are overhauling the long gestating project.

John Travolta is still set to play the iconic oilman J.R. Ewing, with a script written by Hot Rod's Pam Brady. Now a comedy, the budget will be a lot lower than its original $65 million price tag.

The film should begin shooting in January, with an early 2009 release date.

Dallas was released in 2009.