Superheroes to get a sendup

Dimension Films has nearly maxed out its successful “Scary Movie” series, so now the studio takes on another franchise-friendly genre: the comic-book movie. “Superhero,” the studio’s newest spoof, starts production this week in Los Angeles and is set to open March 28.

It’s written and directed by Craig Mazin, who worked on “Scary Movie 3” and “Scary Movie 4.” David Zucker and Robert K. Weiss are producing. An ensemble cast is topped by a master of the spoof genre, Leslie Nielsen, and also includes Jeffrey Tambor of “Arrested Development,” Drake Bell of Nickelodeon’s “Drake and Josh” and “Happy Days” mom Marion Ross.

-- Gina Piccalo