Though he went to great lengths to become cool in Project X, it looks like actor Thomas Mann is right back to being a dork. But that’s okay, because unlike Project X, his new endeavor, King Dork, actually sounds like it has a chance to be funny and entertaining. According to a report from Variety, King Dork was the first project that Gary Sanchez Productions bought when it was formed by Adam McKay and Will Ferrell back in 2006. Adapted from a Frank Portman novel of the same name, D.V. DeVincentis’ (High Fidelity) script tells the story of a couple of late 80s-era outsiders who bond over a love of classic rock and form a friendship that helps get them through high school. Mann is in talks to play the lead kid, and It’s Kind of a Funny Story star Keir Gilchrist his friend. Parks and Recreations’ Nick Offerman is in negotiations to play the Mann character’s stepdad; and if everybody ends up signing on they will all be directed by Gary Sanchez vet Matt Piedmont (Casa de mi Padre).

  In Frank Portman‘s debut novel from 2006, the song-writing, classic Rock-loving high school loser Tom Henderson has a lot of nicknames. King Dork is one of them, but it might be the most important (which is what made it such a great choice for the title). When Tom discovers his dead father’s “Catcher in the Rye,” it changes everything for the crazier, but it might be the ticket to conspiracies and the holy grail of high school hormones. The book is now being turned into a movie by Gary Sanchez Productions, and the team of Adam McKay and Will Ferrell have hired on director Matt Piedmont to helm the project after teaming with him on the forthcoming Casa de mi Padre. According to Deadline Suburb of Detroit, this was the first project that Gary Sanchez bought when McKay, Ferrell and Chris Henchy founded it. It’s a cool project, and it’s been written by a strong writer with a music movie background – D.V. DeVincentis (High Fidelity, Grosse Point Blank). If it’s anything like High School Fidelity, it’ll be an excellent flick.

Sony is the home and King of Kong director Seth Gordon is set to helm. Will we finally get to see King Dork?