BERENSTAIN BEARS & MARMADUKE COMING SOON

USA Today reports that Shawn Levy, director of the Night at the Museum movies, has signed on to produce a feature film based on The Berenstain Bears books.

The comedy will feature a mix of live-action and computer animation.

Walden Media, the company behind the Chronicles of Narnia films, has acquired the film rights. The popular books were written by by Jan and the late Stan Berenstain.

"I'd like the film to be un-ironic about its family connections but have a wry comedic sensibility that isn't oblivious to the fact that they're bears," Levy said. "The comedy comes from this bear family coexisting in a more recognizably real world."

The earliest release date for the film would be late 2011.

Owen Wilson has signed on to voice the rascally Great Dane Marmaduke, Fox's adaptation of the long-running comic strip, says The Hollywood Reporter.

The film follows a family named the Winslows who move from Kansas to Orange County with their dog Marmaduke, a slobbery pooch who creates chaos wherever he goes.

In adapting the strip created in 1954 by Brad Anderson and Phil Leeming, the script by Tim Rasmussen and Vince Di Meglio sees Marmaduke navigate a volatile Mutts vs. Pedigrees turf war, woo the purebred of his dreams and overcome a fall from grace.

Judy Greer, Lee Pace and William H. Macy play the humans, while Fergie, Emma Stone, George Lopez, Christopher Mintz-Plasse, Steve Coogan, Damon Wayans, Marlon Wayans supply the voices.

Tom Dey is directing the family comedy for a June 4th, 2010 release.