Variety.com reports that Columbia Pictures has signed a deal with the New York Times that will allow the studio first dibs on possible movies inspired by the Modern Love column that runs Sundays in the newspaper.

Readers send in essays on personal subjects such as a recent one on a mother adopting another child after her first daughter died. The Times signed with the ICM talent agency, leading to the Columbia deal. Already HBO is planning a series titled Modern Love that would revolve around the column.

Quoting from the Variety article: "Among the recent NYT content deals was the recent story of immigrant students planning a prom, which Jenny Lumet is scripting for Miramax; an article about a 12-year-old wannabe food critic that Lorne Michaels is developing at Paramount; and one about a small college football team paid to be crushed by bigger schools, which Universal is developing with Jack Black. None of the development projects has yet turned into a movie."

 Sounds like something the St. Petersburg Times should look into during the economic crunch. I can imagine a Deal Divas romp a la Sex and the City, an odd couple action flick starring Sean Daly and Terry Tomalin, and Stuck in the 80's: The Movie.