Bridesmaids star Melissa McCarthy will soon be offered the female lead in St. Vincent de Van Nuys for 20th Century Fox and Chernin Entertainment.

The story follows a cantankerous old man (Bill Murray) who forms a bond with the 12-year-old son of a single mother that moves in next door. If Melissa McCarthy accepts the offer and finalizes a deal, she will play the mother. The actress auditioned for the role, putting her at the top of the studio's list for this coveted role.

Theodore Melfi is making his feature directorial debut, working from his own script that was featured on The Black List in 2011. The story is said to be in the same vein as Silver Linings Playbook and As Good As It Gets. Here's what the writer-director had to say about the story.

"The relationship transforms both the man and the boy and even though he teaches the kid everything about his decadent lifestyle, from fighting to drinking, gambling and how to cheat lie and steal. And the 12-year-old has such a pure soul that he only extracts the good from all this."

Production is slated to begin this summer on a $13 million budget. Before that project gets started, Melissa McCarthy will make her directorial debut with Tammy, which she is co-directing along with her husband Ben Falcone.