"Fat Albert" is alive and kicking.

Director Joel Zwick, who boarded the project nearly a year ago, has found a new leading man in Kenan Thompson. The actor and former star of Nickelodeon's "Kenan and Kel" as well as the current "Barbershop 2: Back in Business" will play the title character for 20th Century Fox. Production is gearing up for a mid-April start with a cast that also includes Omarion of B2K fame as Reggie, Raven-Symone in the animated part of Danielle, Jermaine Williams as Mush Mouth, Jeremy Suarez in the animated role of Russell and Aaron Frazier as Weird Harold.

Thompson steps into a role once filled by newcomer Omar Benson Miller. Miller was to topline with Forest Whitaker at the helm in early 2002. However, that package fell apart because of a conflict of visions between Whitaker and Bill Cosby, who created the characters, and the director exited the project (HR 4/5/02).

With Zwick on board, the filmmakers went back to Thompson who had screen tested the first time around with Whitaker, sources said.

Bill Cosby, Camille Cosby and studio-based John Davis and his John Davis Entertainment are producing the live-action adaptation of the cartoon, which follows Fat Albert and his posse of friends, who come to life when they walk out of the cartoon and into the real world. The film will start with animation, move into live-action and end in the animated world.

Bill Cosby and Charles Kipps wrote the original draft of the screenplay, which is inspired by Cosby's long-running CBS cartoon "Fat Albert and the Cosby Kids." At the studio, the project is being overseen by senior vp production Vanessa Morrison for TCF topper Hutch Parker.

Thompson is repped by Endeavor, manager Michael Goldman and attorney Nina Shaw. He is the most recent addition to the cast of NBC's "Saturday Night Live," and his first impression on the Lorne Michaels series was of Cosby. His other credits include Warner Bros. Pictures' "Love Don't Cost a Thing," Paramount Pictures/Nickelodeon Movies' "Good Burger" and Nickelodeon's "All That."

Omarion is repped by Chris Stokes at the Ultimate Group.

Williams, who has a recurring role on "ER," is repped by ABA and Dan Spilo at Evolution.

Raven-Symone, who toplines "That's So Raven" for the Disney Channel, is repped by ICM.

Suarez recently signed on for representation at Paradigm Talent & Literary. His credits include "Brother Bear" and the upcoming "Ladykillers." He was twice nominated for an NAACP Image Award for his work on "The Bernie Mac Show."

Frazier is repped by Nancy Chaidez at the Nancy Chaidez Agency and manager Ernest Johnston.