CBS Films Enrolls in ‘Middle School’ Based on James Patterson Book Series (Exclusive)

Ready to head back to middle school? CBS Films will make a film based on James Patterson‘s bestselling Middle School book series.

Steve Carr, who helmed Paul Blart: Mall Cop, is attached to direct Middle School: The Worst Years of My Life while Chris Bowman and Hubbel Palmer (Masterminds) will write the script

Patterson’s book series, which is comprised of seven books, centers on Rafe Khatchadorian‘s tumultuous days as a student at Hills Village Middle School where he must use all of his wits to battle bullies, hormones and a tyrannical principal.

Griffin Gluck, a young actor whose credits include the film Just Go with It and TV series Private Practice and Red Band Society, will play the lead role of Rafe.

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Patterson is co-financing and producing the film via his James Patterson Entertainment shingle along with Leopoldo Gout and Bill Robinson. Production is expected to begin in Atlanta this fall.

While CBS Films is producing and will market the film, it will be distributed as part of the company’s partnership with Lionsgate.

Patterson’s first book in the series, Middle School, The Worst Years of My Life, hit shelves in November 2012 via Little, Brown Books. The latest installment, Middle School: Just My Rotten Luck, was released in June 2015. To date, the seven book series has sold nearly seven million copies worldwide, and has been on The New York Times bestsellers list for a combined 68 weeks, includes seven at No. 1.

Plenty of Patterson’s work has made its way onto the big and small screens over the years. A TV adaptation of Patterson’s Zoo is currently airing on CBS. His Alex Cross book series was adapted into 1997’s Kiss the Girls, 2001’s Along Came a Spider and 2012’s Alex Cross starring Tyler Perry.  He’s repped by CAA and Lichter, Grossman.

Carr directed 2000’s Next Friday, 2003’s Daddy Day Care and 2009’s Paul Blart: Mall Cop. He’s attached to CBS Films’ comedy The Wedding Guests. He’s repped by Paradigm, Principato-Young Entertainment and Jackoway Tyerman.

Bowman and Palmer wrote the script for upcoming comedy Masterminds which stars Zach Galifianakis and Kristen Wiig. They’re repped by ICM Partners.

Gluck is repped by Paradigm and Leslie Allan-Rice Management.