Zac Efron is in negotiations to star in Warner Bros.’ “The Lucky One,” based on the Nicholas Sparks novel about a Marine searching for a mysterious woman. The film will be produced by Denise Di Novi and Kevin McCormick, who segued last year from Warner production president to a studio deal under the Langley Park banner. Scott Hicks is attached to helm.

Di Novi’s produced three other Sparks adaptations for the studio – “Nights in Rodanthe,” “A Walk to Remember” and “Message in a Bottle.” Di Novi Pictures prexy Alison Green­span is exec producing.

Will Fetters adapted “Lucky One,” which revolves around a Marine who survives three tours in Iraq and attributes his good fortune to a photograph he carried of a woman he has never met. He sets out to meet her when he returns to North Carolina.

Efron signed a producing deal earlier this year with Warner Bros., but isn’t attached as a producer on “The Lucky One.” He next appears in U’s “Charlie St. Cloud,” opening Friday. [Source]