Universal acquires Rothman's Comedy/Horror pitch for Mid-six Figures

Universal Pictures has shelled out mid-six figures to preemptively acquire The Something, a pitch by Forgetting Sarah Marshall exec producer Rodney Rothman.

Rothman, who began his career writing for Late Night With David Letterman and became the youngest head writer in the history of the show, will write and produce The Something, marking his first solo writing and producing effort. Rothman also produced Year One, and was a writer on the short-lived Judd Apatow television show Undeclared.

Story details are being kept under wraps, but the pic is described as an ensemble comedy/horror hybrid set in deep space, and is said to be similar in tone to last year's breakout hit, Zombieland.

The pic is one of the few spec scripts to be bought in the last 12 months that don't already have a director and actors already attached. But Rothman has a good relationship with the studio, with Sarah Marshall and its upcoming spin-off film Get Him to the Greek both being Universal pics.