Adam Shankman Helms Hairspray

The "Cheaper By the Dozen 2" filmmaker will team up with screenwriter Leslie Dixon and lyricist-composers Marc Shaiman and Scott Wittman, on the New Line Cinema."Hairspray".

"I have worked with Marc and Scott on a variety of projects over 15 years, and the idea we get to work on the mother of all their projects, I consider it a great leap of faith in me.", Shankman said.

Neil Meron, who's co-producing the film with Craig Zadan, added: "It is rare to find a director who can speak the language of musicals. He lives and breathes this language."

The film is an adaptation of a Tony-winning Broadway musical, based on a famous play.

"Hairspray", which will begin early next year in Baltimore, for a summer 2007 release, is set to star John Travolta as Edna Turnblad, while Queen Latifah, who was directed by Shankman in "Bringing Down the House," is the rumored frontrunner for the role of Motormouth Maybelle.

The Chicago director Rob Marshall was previously attached to direct, while Jerry Mitchell and Jack O'Brien were set to write the screenplay. They all have bowed out of the project.