'Men in Black' Writer to Rework Will Smith's 'Colossus' (Exclusive)

Will Smith spent years renovating the family's $20 million ranch-style estate in the Santa Monica Mountains above Malibu. The actor enjoyed many of the comforts of home in a lavish trailer during filming in New York for "Men in Black 3."

The move gives a shot in the arm to the Imagine Entertainment-produced project -- a remake of the studio's 1970 "Colossus: The Forbin Project."

Universal Pictures is bringing Men in Black scribe Ed Solomon aboard to rewrite the Will Smith vehicle Colossus.

The move gives a shot in the arm to the Imagine Entertainment-produced project, a remake of the studio's 1970 Colossus: The Forbin Project that the studio began developing in 2007. Solomon, who is also collaborating on an untitled film with J.J. Abrams, has a long history with Smith, dating back to Smith's breakout hit Men in Black.

Blake Masters and Jason Rothenberg wrote earlier drafts of the super-secret sci-fi screenplay. Though the studio is keeping plot details under wraps, the project would see Smith taking on the role of Dr. Charles Forbin, who is the creator of a computer that has taken over the world and is the only scientist who can stop it.

Imagine's Brian Grazer and Ron Howard are producing alongside Erica Huggins and David J. Collins.

Universal’s Anikah McLaren and Sara Scott are overseeing the project for the studio.

Solomon is represented by CAA.

Email: Tatiana.Siegel@THR.com, Twitter: @TatianaSiegel27