Screenwriter George Nolfi ("Ocean's Twelve") yesterday confirmed that Warner Bros. has acquired the rights to bring McGarrett and Co. to the big screen, and that he has been hired to write the script.

"All the paperwork just got sealed up," Nolfi said. "I'll be starting on the script right away."

George Litto, former agent of original series creator Leonard Freeman, will serve as producer. Nolfi said preliminary discussions have been held regarding casting, but he declined to identify any of the potential leads.

The film will be set in contemporary Hawai'i, likely on several islands, Nolfi said. "We're going to definitely try to honor the original series."

"We want a very realistic story," he said. "We want to preserve the tone and feel of the series, but it's got to be interesting and different enough to warrant making a film out of it."

Nolfi recently completed a 16-day tour of the Big Island, Kaua'i, Lana'i, Maui and O'ahu, coordinated by Hawai'i film commissioner Donne Dawson and county film commissioners. As part of his research, Nolfi met with law-enforcement officials, social activists and others.

"I want to tell the story through the Hawaiian Islands, not just through Honolulu," Nolfi said. "I definitely want to honor the ethnic and cultural diversity that I've seen on all of my trips here. That's a really fascinating aspect to me."

Because of the importance of this project to the local film industry, Dawson said she and the other commissioners went to great lengths to accommodate Nolfi's visit.

"I came away very encouraged," Dawson said. "I'm confident that George can do justice to this story."

Still, Dawson cautioned that while Warner Bros.' acquisition of the movie rights and Nolfi's research visit were major steps, there is still much that needs to be ironed out before the film can begin planning for production.