ANCHORMAN Director to Helm Ennis' THE BOYS?

Back in March, A Nightmare on Elm Street director Samuel Bayer hinted that the project he really wanted to tackle next was an adaptation of Garth Ennis' NC-17 superhero comic, The Boys.  Since then, not much has been said but Bayer definitely wasn't given the job, and now it's starting to sound as if he lost out completely. But...but...to Adam McKay?? Not the Anchorman Adam McKay? Say it ain't so!  Bayer had this to say when talking to Film School Rejects...

It’s so funny, I would die to do that comic book. From what I’ve heard from the producers on the movie is that Adam McKay is doing it. He did Anchorman, I guess. The studio is really hot on him and… Let’s have the movie [A Nightmare on Elm Street] come out this weekend and do really well. Then we’ll see how my stock is in Hollywood.

This would not be wise. So unlike a miniature Buddha with hair. Nothing against McKay, other than the fact he's made very few movies I actually like(sorry Anchorman fanatics!). It's just when I think of The Boys, I think of over-the-top action, gore, and raunchy sex. That's what it's all about. McKay is very good at scatological humor, and while there are certainly elements of that, The Boys is not meant to be a straight up comedy. It's part conspiracy, part superhero deconstruction(think Kick-Ass on steroids), part fratboy dream fulfillment. There are a crazy mix of elements and I've yet to see McKay be able to handle more than one at a time. His films don't usually require much more than just the occasional pratfall.

Since this is yet to be confirmed there is still hope that saner minds will prevail. I'm still holding out judgement on whether Bayer is the perfect choice until after I see Elm Street tomorrow night, but surely he's a better option even now than McKay would be.

SYNOPSIS:
This is going to hurt! In a world where costumed heroes soar through the sky and masked vigilantes prowl the night, someone’s got to make sure the “supes” don’t get out of line. And someone will! Billy Butcher, Wee Hughie, Mother’s Milk, The Frenchman, and The Female are The Boys: A CIA-backed team of very dangerous people, each one dedicated to the struggle against the most dangerous force on Earth - superpower! Some superheroes have to be watched. Some have to be controlled. And some of them, sometimes, need to be taken out of the picture. That’s when you call in The Boys!