Columbia Pictures has hired Lowell Ganz and Babaloo Mandel to rewrite the sequel to The Pink Panther.

The comedy pair will work with the original Scott Neustadter and Michael Weber script. The Hollywood Reporter says Steve Martin returns as the bumbling Inspector Clouseau in the film. The studio is still negotiating with director Shawn Levy to executive produce.

The Pink Panther sequel is set for a 2008 release.

In other Steve Martin news, the comedy actor is writing his memoirs; he'll tell the story of his life in the novel, Born Standing Up. It will focus on his days as a standup comedian and will end before he became a film star.