Stephen Sommers Mulls Warner's Tarzan

Stephen Sommers is in negotiations to direct a big-screen version of Tarzan for Warner Brothers and producer Jerry Weintraub, Variety reported.

Sommers will also co-write the Tarzan script with Stuart Beattie. Sommers directed the recently wrapped G.I. Joe for Paramount, with Beattie penning the final draft of the screenplay.

Warner and Weintraub have been developing Tarzan since 2003, when John August was hired to pen a new take on the Edgar Rice Burroughs-created character. Two years ago, the studio was negotiating with Guillermo del Toro to direct.

Burroughs' Tarzan of the Apes was written in 1912. Onscreen, the ape-man character became strongly identified with Johnny Weismuller during the 1930s in MGM's series of features.