A few weeks ago, we talked a little bit about how Adam Shankman was making his way up the ladder of Hollywood directors. Now while we’re not crowning him as some kind of exciting new voice, his brand of talent does seem to be in demand these days. Fresh off the success of Adam Sandler’s family comedy Bedtime Stories, Shankman has landed yet another gig. The Hairspray helmer will now direct a remake of popular musical Bye Bye Birdie, about a young and hugely popular Elvis-like singer who agrees to record and perform one last song before he must fulfill his draft duties and join the army. The song is titled “One Last Kiss,” and the singer, Conrad Birdie, also agrees to grant a lucky girl from his fan club one last kiss of her own before he’s shipped off. The film’s already been adapted twice, once in 1968 with Dick Van Dyke and again in 1995 as a made-for-TV movie starring Jason Alexander (don’t worry, they both played Birdie’s agent and songwriter, Albert Peterson, who’s really the main protagonist of the story). The Hollywood Reporter article mentions how an earlier incarnation of the remake had Birdie as a hip-hop artist. Let’s hope really hard that they don’t go that route. The long-gestating project had John Chu and Tina Fey attached to write at separate points, but no writer is currently attached. Aside from the earlier-reported Sinbad movie, Shankman also recently signed on to direct Bob: The Musical for Disney, about a thirtysomething man who hates musicals that wakes up one day to find his entire life has become one. So expect lots of family-oriented fare from Shankman in the next few years. Keep your grind on, Adam!

Tags: Adam Shankman, Bob: The Musical, Bye Bye Birdie, The 8th Voyage of Sinbad