Pee-Wee Herman mania is back in full swing and even coming to a theater near you.

Judd Apatow has just announced that he is developing a Pee-Wee Herman feature film (still untitled) for Universal.  Paul Reubens (Pee-Wee himself) is penning the script with veteran Paul Rust (Inglorious Basterds, I Love You, Beth Cooper). Apatow’s own company, Apatow Productions, will be producing the film that is being described as featuring the character in “a gigantic adventure.”

“Let’s face it, the world needs more Pee-wee Herman,” Apatow told Daily Variety. “I am so excited to be working with Paul Reubens — who is an extraordinary and ground-breaking actor and writer. It’s so great to watch him return with such relevance.”

Apatow took notice of Reubens during his Pee-Wee Herman Show theatrical revival that sold to the packed Nokia Theater in Los Angeles this January and February.

 The show will be moving to Broadway at the Stephen Sondheim Theater in NYC for ten weeks starting Oct. 26.

Of course, Reubens is giddy for the opportunity.  ”There is no one like Judd in our business — he loves comedy with emotion and heart, and he sees what we do as art.  I can’t believe I’m getting this opportunity to be working with him.”

Paul Reubens first introduced the Pee-Wee Herman character to the world back in the late 1970′s when he was with the Groundlings comedy troupe.  It wasn’t until after he scored the movie Pee-Wee’s Big Adventure (Tim Burton’s directorial debut!) that Reubens got his regular CBS television show Pee-Wee’s Playhouse.  When Reubens was arrested for indecent exposure in 1991, everything fell apart.

After the end of his show, Reubens focused on other acting gigs, but recently there’s been a huge surge in Pee-Wee popularity.  Variety.com (who first broke the news of this new film) attributes this to “the fact that Pee-wee’s Playhouse and the 1985 pic remain popular among adults and kids born long after the first wave of Pee-wee Herman.”

Are you excited for the film?