'Mutts' Comic Strip Headed to Big Screen From 20th Century Fox (Exclusive)

20th Century Fox is prepping a big-screen version of the popular comic strip _Mutts_. The studio’s animation division has hired _Mutts_ creator *Patrick McDonnell* and his brother *Robert McDonnell* to write the script for a feature-length animated film. Patrick McDonnell will executive produce. _Mutts_ is a daily comic strip centering on the antics of a dog named Earl and a cat named Mooch who interact with each other and the animals in their neighborhood, as well as their human owners. McDonnell created the humor strip, syndicated by King Features Syndicate, in 1994. _Peanuts_ creator *Charles M. Schulz* said before his death that he was a big fan of the strip. Fox has had success in the comics-to-movie genre before. The studio made two films based on the popular _Garfield_ comic strip that grossed nearly $350 million combined worldwide. The _Mutts_ project was brought in by Fox Animation executive *Ralph Millero*. Patrick McDonnell is repped by the Rabineau Wachter Sanford Gillett literary agency and attorneys *Keith Fleer* and *Stu Reese*. _Email: Borys.Kit@thr.com_ _Twitter: @Borys_Kit_