'Tom Swift' Producer Talks 'Invention' Adventure Plot

Are inventors the new sexy? The producers of 2011's 'Tom Swift' movie adaptation are hoping so.

"It's about invention is the new adventure, and this is an invention family," producer Albie Hecht, who is developing 'Tom Swift' for Sony, with Barry Sonnenfeld directing, told Moviefone at Saturday's 'Planet 51' premiere in Westwood, Calif.

"If you look at all the heroes that are out there, it is inventors, like Steve Jobs," Hecht explains. "Who do we admire nowadays? People who are inventing things and changing the world. I think that's my inspiration for the movie."

The 'Tom Swift' script, based on the series of books created in 1910 by Edward Statemeyer, is "about halfway there," Hecht says, who reveals no cast choices. "It's going great. It's going to be a big tent-pole movie for Sony."

The storyline will be a re-imagining of the Tom Swift character, Variety reported over the summer, with a father-son team who are among the greatest inventors of all time.

Hecht is an executive producer on the animated comedy 'Planet 51,' out Nov. 20. Besides his movie's all-star cast, 'Planet 51' has the daunting task of opening against 'New Moon.'

"Different audience," Hecht says. "I think there is plenty out there. People are going to the movies, it's a big time for movies. I think it's going to embrace a lot of audiences out there, from kids to families to sci-fi folks to conspiracy theorists, I think we are going to get them all."