Anna Faris and Eugenio Derbez are confirmed to star in the remake of 'Overboard'.

Anna Faris

Anna Faris

The original 1987 American romantic comedy film starred Goldie Hawn and Kurt Russell and was directed by Garry Marshall and is about a wealthy woman who hires a carpenter to work on her yacht but after they have dispute over his work she pushes him into the sea before falling overboard herself with hilarious and romantic consequences.

The remake, however, will feature a reversal of the leading roles with the story focusing on a spoiled playboy, portrayed by Derbez, who is from one of Mexico's wealthiest families who falls overboard, forgets his memory and is convinced by single, working mother Faris that he is her husband.

MGM Motion Picture Group President Jonathan Glickman said: "The original 'Overboard' was beloved and the only way to bring it back is to reinvent the story in a whole new way. Anna and Eugenio are two of the most charismatic forces in comedy whose take on the material will modernise the story for a whole new generation of moviegoers."

The remake will be co-directed and written by How I Met Your Mother's Rob Greenberg and We're the Millers' Bob Fisher. Whilst Ben Odell and Derbez are producing through 3Pas Studios.

MGM has partnered with Pantelion Films to co-produce, co-finance, and co-distribute the film, with Lionsgate handling domestic theatrical distribution.

Production is expected to start in May in Vancouver.

Faris is currently starring opposite Allison Janney in the fourth season of CBS sitcom 'Mom'. She launched the comedy advice podcast 'Anna Faris Is Unqualified' in 2015 and is set to publish her comedic memoir 'Unqualified' this fall.

Meanwhile, Derbez is known to Latin American audiences for his long-running television series 'La Familia P. Luche.' He also starred in, directed, and produced the comedy 'Instructions Not Included' which grossed $100 million worldwide.