Brie Larson is moving to director’s chair. The actress, who won the Oscar this year for her performance in “Room,” is set to make her directorial debut with the independent quirky* comedy “Unicorn Store.” Larson will also star in the movie and produce it with David Bernad and Ruben Fleischer via* their banner The District. Also producing are Paris Kassidokostas-Latsis and Terry Dougas via their company Rhea Films. Hercules Film Fund is financing. Based on an original screenplay by Samantha McIntyre, the story tells of a woman named Kit, who, after moving back in with her parents, receives a mysterious invitation to a store that will test her ideas of what it really means to grow up. The project was at one point to have been directed by Miguel Arteta and to have starred Rebel Wilson but timing never worked. Bernad and Fleischer continued to develop the project and brought it to Larson before she won her Academy Award. Larson is not coming into the project green; she previously co-wrote and co-directed the short film, “The Arm,” which won the jury prize at Sundance in 2012. The next step was to secure* financing. Hercules Film Fund, which co-financed the upcoming Tom Cruise movie “Mena as well as Maika Monroe’s Tau” that is currently filming, was set up to bring European investors such as Kasidokostas-Latsis to Hollywood. Kassidokostas-Latsis and Dougas established 1821 Media and produced Paul Weitz’ acclaimed dramedy “Grandma” for Sony Classics, scoring Lily Tomlin a Golden Globe nomination, and Gavin O’Connor’s “Jane Got a Gun,” the Western that starred Natalie Portman. The deals are freshly inked and the filmmaking team is now prepping for an October production start. WME Global is repping the project and handling sales. Jean-Luc DeFanti is exec-producing “Unicorn Store” as is Anne Woodward. Larson is the newest member of the Marvel Studios family, having become attached to star in company’s first female-centric film project, the high-profile “Captain Marvel” movie. (SD-Agencies) | 