RISKY BUSINESS reports that THE PURSUIT OF HAPPYNESS scribe Steven Conrad has been tapped to rewrite Fox’s long-in-the-work remake of the Danny Kaye classic, THE SECRET LIFE OF WALTER MITTY. Conrad’s payday will be in the seven figures.

Samuel Goldwyn Jr. and John Goldwyn are the producers.

Based on James Thurber’s 1939 short story, the tale follows a man who daydreams about becoming various heroes. Sacha Baron Cohen has been rumored to be interested in the title role. For years, Mike Myers has been circling the project.

The list of screenwriters who have taken stabs at the project include Babaloo Mandel & Lowell Ganz, Chuck Russell, Peter Tolan, Zach Helm, Richard LaGravanese, Jay Kogen, David Reynolds and Thomas Lennon & Robert Ben Garant.

There was also a time when Steven Spielberg was interested in directing a version with Jim Carrey as the star.