Comedic actor Owen Wilson (Zoolander)  is currently in final negotiations to star opposite Julia Roberts (Erin Brockovich) and Room breakout Jacob Tremblay in the children’s book adaptation Wonder, according to Variety. Lionsgate is distributing the project that will see author-turned-director Steven Chbosky (Perks of Being a Wallflower) at the helm.

Based on the young reader’s novel by Raquel J. Palacio and adapted for the screen by Jack Thorne and Steve Conrad, the story follows a young boy named August Pullman (Tremblay). Born with a facial deformity that kept him out of public school for much of his childhood, August becomes an unlikely hero after entering into the 5th grade at the local elementary school. Roberts is locked in to play August’s mother, while Wilson will presumably play August’s father.

The book is a children’s bestseller, selling more than 2 million copies since its publishing in 2012. Lionsgate plans to release the film next spring on April 7.

Although this style of role is not necessarily typical for Wilson, it does hearken back to his film Marley & Me which saw the comedian don the charming father persona once before. Wilson was last seen in the critically panned Zoolander 2 as well as the destination thriller No Escape. He will soon be seen alongside J.K. Simmons (Whiplash) in Bastards early next year as well as in the animated film Masterminds – still waiting on a release date thanks to the financial woes at Relativity.