Pathe International ispartnering with Focus Features on the long-gestating movie of Jack Kerouac's OnThe Road which will be directed byWalter Salles, written by Jose Rivera and produced by Rebecca Yeldham.

The film is a reunion forthe makers of The Motorcycle Diaries which was directed by Salles, written by Rivera, executive produced byYeldham, sold by Pathe and distributed in North America by Focus.

The project has long been indevelopment at Francis Ford Coppola's American Zoetrope; Coppola, Bobby Rockand John Williams are acting as executive producers.

Production is expected tobegin in 2006 after Salles completes his next Portugese-language film inBrazil.