MONTREAL: Muse Entertainment is prepping to shoot a feature comedy starring Meg Ryan and William H. Macy later this month in South Africa, while shooting continues on its MOW Too Young to Marry in Ottawa.

The Deal - based on a book by Peter Lefcourt - stars Macy (Thank You for Smoking) as a longtime Hollywood producer on the verge of suicide, who cons a major studio into financing a $100-million film based on a nonexistent script. Ryan (You've Got Mail) plays a studio exec.

The film goes to camera March 26 with Steven Schachter (Door to Door) directing. Muse produces with Dogpond/Sydnyk Works and Union Square Entertainment. The film's worldwide distributor is Peace Arch Entertainment.

Too Young to Marry, meanwhile, wrapped March 17 for Lifetime Television and tells the story of high school sweethearts - played by Nina Dobrev (Degrassi: The Next Generation) and Dillon Casey (11 Cameras, M.V.P.) - who decide to tie the knot. Michel Poulette (Histoire de famille) directs.

It's "a high concept movie," says Muse exec Jesse Prupas, in a release, "which deals with a rarity in today's world: a modern, educated teenaged couple who decide to get married despite the odds."

Prupas and David Patterson produce for Muse (Durham County) alongside Neil Bregman of Ottawa's Sound Venture Productions (H2O, The Toy Castle).

"We've built a great team working together on our sixth film in Ottawa," says Patterson.

Executive producers are Michael Prupas of Muse, George Stelzner of West Egg Studios in L.A., Howard Braunstein of Jaffe/Braunstein Films in L.A. and Robert Green of U.K.-based Granada International, which will distribute internationally.

Post-production will be completed at Montreal's Station 29. No Canadian broadcaster has been confirmed.