An independently produced film about the origins of Hooters is in development, with the restaurant chain’s original founding partners involved. The project aims to turn the company’s early history into a buddy-comedy biopic, following two friends whose attempt to launch a restaurant grows into a national business and later attracts federal scrutiny.

Titled Hooters: The Movie, it will be directed by Emmy-nominated filmmaker Jon Rosenbaum from a script by Ed Droste, Phil Olson and Chuck Melcher. The story focuses on Ted and Lenny, including a road trip to Clearwater Beach where Ted meets Diane, described as the first Hooters Girl; casting is under way and filming is provisionally planned for November in Tampa and Clearwater, where the first restaurant opened in 1983.