Owen Wilson joins Paul Thomas Anderson's 'Inherent Vice'

It's been a lot of years since Paul Thomas Anderson tackled anything resembling a comedy, with the last time being his romantic laugher Punch Drunk Love, which also happens to this site's namesake. While the film had more than its share of darker elements, it was still the quirkiest thing he's ever done, and still remains to this day the best acting performance Adam Sandler has ever given. With Anderson now delving back into comedy waters with Inherent Vice, he's adding a guy who has more than his share of experience with the genre, as Owen Wilson is the latest to come aboard.

Wilson will join Joaquin Phoenix and Benicio Del Toro in the adaptation of Thomas Pynchon's drug-fueled detective story set in 1970s Los Angeles. Phoenix stars as pot smoking private eye Doc Sportallo, who runs into a bunch of quirky characters while investigating the case of a kidnapped ex-girlfriend. Owen's role hasn't been made clear except to say that it's one of the leads, suggesting that it could be the part of Christian Bjornsen, an LAPD detective who is a constant thorn in Doc's side.

Production on Inherent Vice begins this month, while Wilson will be seen this summer in The Internship. [TheWrap]