Paramount Pictures' shopping spree for popular television series to adapt for the big screen continues as the studio has bought feature film rights to hit series "The Partridge Family," which aired on ABC.

Paramount optioned the rights from TV writer/playwright Bernard Slade, who created the original series. Slade will executive produce the feature, which is out to writers. Pam Abdy will oversee for the studio.

Billy Gerber is producing. Gerber, who brought the project to Paramount, was an executive on the project during his time at Warner Bros. Pictures, which held feature film rights to the series for several years. Gerber's father, Roy Gerber, managed the original TV series' Shirley Jones, who played Shirley Partridge on the TV series.

"I always thought it would be a good idea to make it for the big screen," Gerber said. "Like the original series, it's a contemporary family comedy. We aren't looking to make it some campy remake but a mainstream family movie in the vein of 'School of Rock.' "

"The Partridge Family" series followed the humorous adventures of a family of musicians.

Slade also created "The Flying Nun" TV series. His other credits include "Romantic Comedy," "Tribute" and "Same Time, Next Year." Gerber most recently executive produced "A Very Long Engagement" with Jodie Foster and Audrey Tautou.

Other feature film adaptations of television series in the works at Paramount include "21 Jump Street." Paramount producer Scott Rudin also has feature film rights to "Laverne & Shirley" but said it is not in active development.

Both Slade and Gerber were represented in the deal by Bruce Kaufman and Todd Hoffman of the Broder Webb Chervin Sibermann Agency.