Brad Silberling ("Lemony Snicket," "City of Angels") will next direct "Land of the Lost," Universal's $100 million big-screen adaptation of Sid and Marty Krofft's 1970s live-action Saturday morning series says the trades.

The story follows a disgraced paleontologist, his enthusiastic assistant and a macho tour guide who find themselves in a strange world inhabited by dinosaurs, monkey-people and evil reptilian "Sleestaks" following a disastrous "routine expedition". Chris Henchy and Dennis McNicholas wrote the script.

Will Ferrell is set to star in the adventure fantasy, which is set to begin filming in March. With production now locked, Ferrell's availability for other pre-strike projects is effectively gone.