South Park creators planning big screen version of The Book of Mormon

When South Park creators Trey Parker and Matt Stone trashed the hell out of Phil Collins' tepid song, You'll Be In My Heart, on an episode of their hit animated series it was exactly the type of biting comeback you'd expect. The Tarzan track beat out the still awesome Blame Canada for Best Original Song at the 2000 Academy Awards, a misjudgement I'm convinced was spurred by fear since South Park is so damn controversial. When it boils down to it, Parker and Stone ALWAYS get the last laugh. They've won Emmys, have kicked ass musically and obviously on the big screen, and now they're currently taking names with their Broadway musical, The Book of Mormon.

The play opened earlierthis year and has been a rousing success, winning nine(!!!) Tony Awards at this year's event. But there has to be a part of the South Park team that wants to walk away with the Oscar they were robbed of before, and it's starting to sound as if they're willing to take another stab it.

While talking to EW, the duo revealed that there are long term plans in place for a The Book of Mormon movie, being put together with super-producer Scott Rudin, who also is producing the stageplay. Parker would likely direct, making this their first big screen effort since 2004's Team America: World Police, a film that was funny at the time but doesn't hold up so well in my opinion. Assuming Parker and Stone don't decide to use puppets for The Book of Mormon, this would be Parker's first live-action directing gig since....Orgazmo. The less said about that the better. Chances are the film won't get made for awhile, with the play likely to have a lengthy Broadway run.

For every person South Park offends every week as it enters it's 15th season(!!!), there are obviously millions more who find their scathing brand of topical humor refreshing. I'm one of those folks, although I'll admit to not having watched the show in a few years. Book of Mormon is bound to tick a few people off as well. It follows two Mormom missionaries shipped off to Uganda to do the Lord's work, only to find that the people are more concerned with real life problems like AIDS, famine, and extreme poverty.