Josh Gad in Talks for Chris Columbus' PIXELS

Deadline reports that Josh Gad and Kevin James are currently in discussions to star in Sony Pictures PIXELS from director Chris Columbus. Adam Sandler and Jack Giarraputo's Happy Madison will produce.

The project was penned by Tim Herlihy and Tim Dowling, based on short by Patrick Jean. Production is set to get underway this summer.

According to the report, the film's synopsis is: "When aliens attack by staging versions of '80s video games on an epic scale, four champion arcade gamers are called back into action to save the world."

Gad will next be seen in the role of stand-up comic Sam Kinison in Kinison, a biopic that will be helmed by Larry Charles and produced by David Permut from a script by Rich Wilkes. He starred, co-created and executive produced the 2012 NBC comedy series 1600 Penn and has appeared on Broadway in 'Book of Mormon', for which he received a Tony nomination and '25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee.' Currently he voices the Snowman Olaf in Disney's animated hit, Frozen.

Kevin James is best known for his starring role in the CBS comedy 'King of Queens.'

Photo by Walter McBride