Universal taking another 'Midnight Run'

11:03 PM PDT 10/13/2010 by Borys Kit, AP

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Robert De Niro will produce and star in comedy sequel

Universal and Robert De Niro are getting ready for another run.

The studio is developing a sequel to "Midnight Run," the 1988 action comedy that starred De Niro as a bounty hunter who must bring back an embezzler, played by Charles Grodin, across the country.

Timothy Dowling, the writer behind Universal's comedy "Role Models," is being brought on board to pen the script that would bring back De Niro's character, Jack Walsh, and pair him with a younger comedic foil.

"Run," while not a huge hit, was well-recieved by critics, even as it pushed the f-word count to new heights. The movie is also a touchstone for execs on road movies as well as thriller-comedies.

Although several made-for-TV movies were made as sequels -- without the original stars -- De Niro began to seriously consider a sequel during his recent "Little Fockers" shoot.

De Niro will produce with Tribeca Films partner Jane Rosenthal.

Dowling, repped by CAA and Mosaic, also worked on the upcoming comedies "She's Out of My League" and the Tom Cruise-starrer "Knight and Day." Dowling broke into the biz by penning the satire short "George Lucas in Love."