The 8th grade adventures of Nikki Maxwell are finally coming to the big screen as Summit Entertainment announces a new franchise based on Rachel Renee Russell's popular YA novel series Dork Diaries. No director is in place, and casting is underway.

Here is the official press release:

Summit Entertainment, a LIONSGATE (NYSE: LGF) company, has acquired all rights to author Rachel Renee Russell's #1 New York Times best-selling, worldwide sensation book series Dork Diaries. Karen Rosenfelt is in negotiations to produce via her Sunswept Entertainment banner.

Rachel Renee Russell stated:

"Summit Entertainment bringing Dork Diaries to life is a dream come true! My book series could not be in more capable hands. My fans and I are super excited to see Nikki Maxwell and her dorky world come to life."

Dork Diaries follows eighth grader Nikki Maxwell as she chronicles her not-so-fabulous life of navigating the halls at a new school, mean girls, BFF drama and first crushes. Nikki journals through text and sketch in a unique fresh voice that embraces life on the bottom of the social spectrum with humor and heart that is universally appealing.

Published by Aladdin, a division of Simon & Schuster Children's Publishing, Rachel Renee Russell's Dork Diaries is a worldwide best-selling book series with over 13 million copies in print and its 7th book due out this summer, and 8th book due this fall. Publishing rights for the series have been sold in over 35 countries with translation into 32 different languages. The series has spent almost 200 weeks on the New York Times Best Sellers list, including the #1 spot, and has also been repeatedly recognized as a USA Today best-selling series, and has been an international bestseller in markets around the world. Dork Diaries: Tales From a Not-So-Fabulous Life, the first book in the collection, was nominated for the Book of the Year by the Nickelodeon Kids' Choice Awards.

Dork Diaries continues Summit's successful relationship with Karen Rosenfelt, who produced all five installments of The Twilight Saga franchise. Additional credits for Karen Rosenfelt include Percy Jackson & the Olympians: Lightning Thief, Percy Jackson: Sea of Monsters, Yogi Bear and Marley & Me.

Erik Feig, Co-President of Lionsgate Motion Picture Group, will oversee the project for the studio along with John Sacchi, Lionsgate's Executive Vice President, Bree Bailey, Lionsgate's Director of Production and Development, and Jessica Switch, Creative Executive at Lionsgate. The author is represented by Daniel Lazar at Writers House LLC and Eddie Gamarra at Gotham Group.