According to Variety, Paramount has decided to go Looking for Alaska, signing "The OC" creator Josh Schwartz to write and direct the coming-of-age comedy-drama and setting up the project with Mark Waters and Jessica Tuchinsky.

Par outbid several other studios for film rights to Looking for Alaska, John Green's novel of love and loss among teens at an Alabama boarding school and centered on Alaska Young, the reckless girl who's the object of affection for most males at the school.

Adrian Loudermilk will exec produce.

The feature is the first for the 28-year-old Schwartz. Fox renewed "The OC" for a third season in March at the same time that Berman announced she was ankling for Paramount.