He was on the job once before, left for a better gig, quit that one, and then returned. Filmmaker Stephen Sommers is back on the case to write and direct a remake of "When Worlds Collide" for Paramount Pictures and producer Steven Spielberg.

According to Variety, "Sommers, who directed "The Mummy" and "Van Helsing," was aligned with the project when Paramount first made a deal for it earlier this year (Daily Variety, April 11).

Paramount released the original 1951 "When Worlds Collide," directed by Rudolph Mate, and cleaned up some rights issues surrounding the pic when Sommers became interested in remaking the actioner.

However, his version languished a bit when Par's new regime came in and he dropped out in favor of a deal to direct and produce Fox's "A Night at the Museum." At the same time, Spielberg came aboard "When Worlds Collide" as producer. That move came during studio excitement for "War of the Worlds," which Spielberg directed and which has grossed $588 million worldwide.

Sometime around September, Sommers dropped out of "Museum" due to creative differences, which led him back to "When Worlds Collide." The Fox project now is in the hands of "Cheaper By The Dozen" helmer Shawn Levy."
--

In addition to "The Mummy," "The Mummy Returns," and "Van Helsing," Sommers also directed 1993's "The Adventures of Huck Finn," 1994's "The Jungle Book," and (my favorite) 1998's "Deep Rising."