Walden Media has hired Ken Kwapis to direct its untitled teen mayor project that Phoenix Pictures' Mike Medavoy and Arnold Messner will produce.

Surf's Up co-writers Lisa Addario and Joe Syracuse have come aboard as screenwriters on the story of a high school slacker who runs for mayor to bolster his college application and ends up getting elected.

Fox will release in North America through the Fox Walden joint venture. An international sales agent should be announced shortly.

Alex Schwartz, Jackie Levine and Jared Mass will serve as executive producers for Walden Media, along with Phoenix' David Thwaites.

Kwapis most recently directed the upcoming comedy License To Wed starring Robin Williams, Mandy Moore and John Krasinski that Warner Bros will release on Jul 4.

His other feature credits include Sisterhood Of The Traveling Pants and He Said, She Said. Kwapis recently signed on to direct He's Just Not That Into You for New Line and Flower Films. He is represented by UTA and Code Entertainment.

Addario and Syracuse are currently writing Us & Them for Nickelodeon/Paramount with Billy Crystal set to star. UTA and attorney Ken Richman represent the writers.