GENE WILDER - WILDER'S HOLLYWOOD COMEBACK

WILDER'S HOLLYWOOD COMEBACK

GENE WILDER is preparing to make a Hollywood comeback - his debut novel is being turned into a movie. The comedy star retired from the silver screen after appearing in 1981 film Another You - the last of his legendary collaborations with late funnyman Richard Pryor. Wilder has since taken up writing, releasing an autobiography in 2005. His first fictional effort My French Whore is due for release this month (May07) and film rights have already been snapped up by movie giants 20th Century Fox. Wilder says, "After I finished the book, my agent said, 'It would make a very good movie'. He asked if he could show it to someone, and I said 'only one person - my old boss at 20th Century Fox Alan Ladd Jr'. "Alan Ladd Jr then called me up and said, 'I'd like to do this, but only if you write the script.' So as I was writing the second draft of the book, I was writing the first draft of the screenplay. And now it's being made into a movie." But Wilder insists his name will only appear on the credits as the writer: "If they can make a good movie I'll be very happy. But I don't want to be co-executive producer. I don't want to go to Prague or Budapest for seven months."