Just recently we learned that Casa de mi Padre director Matt Piedmont had been set to direct the long-in-the-works adaptation of Frank Portman’s novel King Dork for producers Will Ferrell and Adam McKay. Now Variety reports that development is moving right along as Project X star Thomas Mann is now in final negotiations to start. The story, described as described as “part mystery, part coming-of-age tale, and part critique on teenage popular culture,” is set in 1987 and centers on two high school outsiders who bond over their love of classic rock. The protagonist finds his dead father’s copy of The Catcher in the Rye and his life changes forever. Hit the jump for more.king-dork-book-coverIn addition to Mann, Parks and Recreation star/all-around awesome person Nick Offerman and Keir Gilchrist (It’s Kind of a Funny Story) are circling supporting roles. Offerman would apparently play Mann’s stepdad, while Gilchrist may take the role of Mann’s best friend. McKay has been working on bringing the adaptation to the screen for years, and I think this is a fine team to bring the coming-of-age story to life. Production is set to start in June, with a script by D.V. DeVincentis (High Fidelity). Read a synopsis of the book below.

Tom Henderson (a.k.a. King Dork, Chi-mo, Hender-fag, and Sheepie) is a typical American high school loser until he discovers the book, The Catcher in the Rye, that will change the world as he knows it. When Tom discovers his deceased father’s copy of the Salinger classic, he finds himself in the middle of several interlocking conspiracies and at least half a dozen mysteries involving dead people, naked people, fake people, ESP, blood, a secret code, guitars, monks, witchcraft, the Bible, girls, the Crusades, a devil head, and rock and roll. And it all looks like it’s just the tip of a very odd iceberg of clues that may very well unravel the puzzle of his father’s death and–oddly–reveal the secret to attracting semihot girls. Being in a band could possibly be the secret to the girl thing–but good luck finding a drummer who can count to four. [Amazon]