Variety reports that Sony Pictures Animation has greenlit Open Season as its first film. “Open Season tells the story of a 900-pound domesticated grizzly bear named Boog and a scrawny, one-horned mule deer named Elliot who are stranded together in the woods during hunting season. It’s up to the duo to rally all the other forest animals and turn the tables on the hunters”. The CG film will star Martin Lawrence, Ashton Kutcher and Debra Messing; Jill Culton and Anthony Stacchi will direct. Sony is looking at a 2006 release date. A full-length version of The ChubbChubbs was assumed to be their first film, but Sony Pictures Entertainment vice-chairman Yair Landau said “Open Season was selected because the pic’s story and characters were the first to gel”. The humor of In the Bleachers cartoonist Steve Moore inspired the film, and he will be a co-executive producer of the film. [paid subscription required for Variety]