Sanford Panitch’s Fox International Productions (FIP) has come aboard to co-produce Love Carrot 3 (Lubby Dubby 3), the latest entry in Russia’s hit bodyswap comedy franchise.

FIP will partner with Interfest’s Renat Davletiarov and Alexander Kotelevsky on the film, a hot prospect given that the first instalment, released in 2007, grossed $11m, and the 2008 follow-up took $18m.

Sergei Ginsburg will direct Kristina Orbakaite (pictured) and Gosha Kutsenko as they reprise their famous roles as the hapless Golubevs, who switch bodies with their duelling parents played by Lea Akhidjakova and Vladimir Menshov.

Lubby Dubby 3 is scheduled to open in Russia in December through Fox International. Davletiarov is producing and serves as president of Russia’s Producers Guild.

“Over the last few years Russia’s film industry has undergone rapid transformation, becoming one the most important markets in the world,” FIP director of development Anna Kokourina said.

“I have known Renat for a while and have always been a fan of his work. His Lubby Dubby is one of the best testaments to the commercial success of Russia’s film industry, and I am thrilled to be working with Renat on one of the best family comedies produced in Russia today.”

Fox has a strong footprint in Russia and distributed the top three local titles in history – The Irony Of Fate 2, Admiral and Day Watch.

Topics