"Christmases" time for Vaughn, Witherspoon

LOS ANGELES (Hollywood Reporter) - Vince Vaughn and Reese Witherspoon are in final negotiations to star in the comedy "Four Christmases."

They will play a couple who struggle to visit all four of their divorced parents' homes over the Christmas holiday.

A director is not yet attached to the New Line project, which is expected to be produced for release during fourth-quarter 2008.

"Christmases" was originally set up at Sony Pictures, which eyed it for holiday release in 2004, but the project was dropped because it conflicted with another holiday comedy at the studio, "Christmas With the Kranks." New Line picked it up in the fall with Adam Shankman attached to direct. Shankman instead segued to the studio's "Hairspray."

Vaughn's credits include New Line's "Wedding Crashers." His upcoming films include "Fred Claus" for Warner Bros. Witherspoon, who won an Oscar for "Walk the Line," will appear in the New Line thriller "Rendition," which is scheduled for an October 12 release.

Reuters/Hollywood Reporter