MGM planning 'Bright Lights' remake

LOS ANGELES, April 1 (UPI) -- Hollywood's Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Pictures says Josh Schwartz is writing and will direct a feature based on Jay McInerney's novel "Bright Lights, Big City."

The announcement was made Wednesday by Mary Parent, chairman of the Worldwide Motion Picture Group, MGM.

"City" is about a young magazine editor from Kansas who struggles with love and success in the wilds of the New York City. Previously adapted as a Michael J. Fox-starring film in 1988, it is undecided if the new adaptation will retain the book's 1980s setting, MGM said.

"This has long been a favorite book of mine ... I love coming-of-age stories and this one remains one of the most poignant, funny and timeless. Much of what it explores feels even more relevant now than when it was first published," Schwartz said in a statement.

Schwartz will produce the film with Stephanie Savage. He is currently writing "X-Men: First Class" and, along with Savage, is the co-creator and executive producer of the CW series "Gossip Girl."