Getting It Write

“You don’t get paid to write, you get paid to rewrite.”

Nowhere is the old adage more true than with “My Stepmother Is an Alien.”

Now shooting in and around L.A., starring Dan Aykroyd, Kim Basinger, Jon Lovitz and Alyson Hannigan, with Richard Benjamin directing, the development of the script has spanned six years, three studios, three titles, at least eight writers (we’ve heard more), more than 15 revisions and--depending on whom you talk to--costs of between $1.3 and $2 million!

To boot, what was once a nightmare tale about an alien plotting the Earth’s destruction is now . . . a contemporary romantic comedy!

Written after the success of “E.T.” and “WarGames,” the original story and script--by Jerico Stone--was called “They’re Coming.” It involved a teen-age boy and his mean and vicious but beautiful stepmom.

It’s now about a teen-age girl . Dad’s become a major character. And Mom (played by Basinger) is no longer mean and vicious--but is still incredibly beautiful.

But when the project started out at Paramount with Bette Midler talked about for the lead, Mom became less beautiful and more comedic. Then came talk of Julie Andrews. Mom was envisioned as sweeter. When Raquel Welch’s name came up, Mom was sexy again.

“It’s true. The story and its spirit has changed, depending on what the studios wanted at the time,” admitted co-producer Franklin R. Levy, whose Catalina Productions is partnered on the project with Weintraub Entertainment.

“Stepmother” also had stopped off at Fox, where Midler’s name came up again. And Joan Rivers’. And Cybill Shepherd’s. Then it went into turnaround under new studio head Leonard Goldberg.

At Weintraub, Shelley Long was announced for the lead. “And the part became more comedic,” explained Levy. But Long exited and Basinger entered: “Now she (Mom) is exquisite again,” said Levy.

“But these things aren’t unusual,” stressed a rep for the $16-million film. “I could give you a mile-long list of films that have gone through all sorts of changes.”

We were unable to reach Stone, the creator. “Stepmother” is now credited to writers Herschel Weingrod, Timothy Harris and Jonathan Reynolds.

Ironic touch: Some of those who’ve been involved with “Stepmother” contend that the original script was the best!