We reported back in April that a new writer had come aboard a long-gestating project and now it seems they're also moving forward with a new director. Variety is reporting that Gore Verbinski has signed on to direct The Secret Life of Walter Mitty.

Verbinski will be directing from a script by Steve Conrad, who previously wrote The Weather Man, which Verbinski directed. It was said that the film could start shooting as early as next spring.

We also reported back in April that Sacha Baron Cohen had been attached to star in the film, which previously had Mike Myers attached to star as well. It isn't clear if either actor is currently attached to star in the film as of now. Here's a plot rundown of the film.

Based on James Thurber's classic 1939 short story and the 1947 Danny Kaye film, the story centers on Walter Mitty, a daydreaming comic book writer with an overprotective mother, who likes to imagine himself as a hero experiencing great adventures. His dream becomes true when he accidentally meets a mysterious woman who hands him a little black book. According to her it contains the locations of the Dutch crown jewels hidden since World War II. Soon Mitty finds himself in the middle of a confusing conspiracy and has to admit that being a hero in real life isn't that easy.

We'll be sure to keep you posted with any further developments on The Secret Life of Walter Mitty as soon as we have more information.