Variety reports that Jerry Weintraub and Warner Bros. have set Ellen DeGeneres to star in a remake of the 1977 comedy "Oh, God!". DeGeneres will play the title character, a role originally performed by George Burns.

Weintraub produced the original "Oh, God!," which also starred John Denver and spawned two sequels. Weintraub said he could never figure out how to remake a film in a way that would flatter the original until was recently approached by DeGeneres, however, and was impressed by her take.

Weintraub will look to hire a writer and director so they can shoot the film during DeGeneres' talkshow hiatus next summer. Weintraub says "Ellen is a strong comedienne and she has always done material about God and questions about God. She will help us with the writing, and using her will allow us to do a proper 2005 view of 'Oh God!' that is hip and modern" .

Thanks to 'KarlChilders'