Mumbai: Universal Studios has acquired the distribution rights of Toonz Animation feature film Mostly Ghostly.

Based on the first in the popular eight-book Mostly Ghostly series by the best selling children’s author R L Stine, the film chronicles the eerie adventures of an 11-year-old outcast Max as he protects Nicky and Tara – the sibling ghosts who live in his house –from the fume-spewing demon Phears. 

Mostly Ghostly is directed by Hannah Montana co-creator Rich Correll and produced by Yvonne Bernard, Arthur Cohen and Steve Stabler. Correll and Emmy Award nominee Pat Proft, whose credits include Scary Movie 3, Scary Movie 4 and The Naked Gun series, writes the screenplay. The movie is slated for Halloween 2008 release and is made with a budget of $3.6 million, solely funded by Toonz Animation.

"We are ecstatic at this deal which would complement our efforts to deliver innovative entertainment experience to audience across the globe. We are hopeful that Mostly Ghostly will be well received by children as well as adult alike," said Toonz Animation CEO P Jayakumar.

The film features a red-hot cast including Madison Pettis, Luke Benward, Maiara Walsh, Ali Lohan, Brian Stepanek, Kim Rhodes and introduces Noah Cyrus (younger sister of Hannah Montana’s Miley Cyrus) in her first movie.