UK director Kirk Jones, whohas just scored a $100m worldwide hit with Nanny McPhee, has signed to writeand direct a contemporary English-language US-set remake of GiuseppeTornatore's 1990 movie Everybody's Fine (Stanno Tutti Bene) forHollywood Gang Productions and Cecchi Gori USA.

Gianni Nunnari of HollywoodGang and Vittorio Cecchi Gori of Cecchi Gori USA will produce the film which isexpected to start shooting in Jan 2007.

Everybody's Fine centres around a widowed man who, realizing that hiswife was his only real connection with his children sets off on a cross-countrybusride to reunite with each of his children. Marcello Mastroianni played theman in the original film which was also written by Tornatore.

The remake will be setacross the US from New York to Las Vegas and the journey will take place onGreyhound buses. Jones recently completed a cross-country trip in order toexperience first-hand the journey of his lead character.

"Since writing anddirecting Waking Ned Devine Ihave been searching for an American-based project that would allow me theopportunity to make a film on which I could firmly apply my own imprint," saidJones in a statement. "This is a story with enormous heart that will translateperfectly to modern day America with the humor and emotion of the originalpicture still intact. My producing colleague Glynis Murray and I are thrilledto be working with a team whose taste and sensibilities have delivered filmssuch as Life is Beautiful, IlPostino and Mediterraneo, and I am thrilled to be developing a project whichfollows so closely on the heels of Nanny McPhee's success."

Craig J Flores and NathaliePeter-Contesse will serve as executive producers; Peter-Contesse will overseethe production for Hollywood Gang, while Murray will serve in a similarcapacity for Jones' Tomboy Pictures.

Flores, who is vicepresident, business and legal affairs for Cecchi Gori USA, brokered Jones' dealwith Beth Swofford at CAA. Jones is co-represented by Sue Rodgers at ICMLondon.