By Jeff Sneider
LOS ANGELES (TheWrap.com) - "Cooper. Susan Cooper," may be a line of dialogue heading to a theater near you.
With "The Heat" hitting the big screen on June 28, director Paul Feig is ramping up development on a female spy movie titled "Susan Cooper" that he hopes will become a franchise for 20th Century Fox, TheWrap has learned.
"Bridesmaids" director Feig is currently searching for a leading lady to star in "Susan Cooper," which will be a realistic comedy about a female James Bond, rather than a parody along the lines of "Get Smart" or "Johnny English."
It's described by an individual familiar with the project as a two-hander in the vein of "The Heat" that lends itself to a possible franchise.
Feig wrote the script and will produce the movie through his Feigco Entertainment banner, which recently landed a first-look deal at Fox. Feigco's new executive VP Jessie Henderson will also be involved in a producing capacity. Fox exec Daria Cercek will oversee the project for the studio.
"Susan Cooper" was inspired by the reintroduction of James Bond in 2006's "Casino Royale," which Feig recently told Variety ranks among his favorite movies.
Feig has publicly lamented the lack of female-driven projects in Hollywood, particularly after the surprise success of Universal's hit comedy "Bridesmaids," which grossed $288 million worldwide. His production company is tasked with finding edgy R-rated comedies and other commercial properties in the vein of "Bridesmaids."
To that end, Feig is working with Chernin Entertainment to develop a mother-daughter comedy that will be written by "The Heat" scribe Katie Dippold.
Feig is repped by CAA and attorney Warren Dern.
