Zac Efron Reportedly Joins Will Ferrell-Produced Raunchy Comedy 'Threesome'

A couple of years ago Universal picked up a pitch by comic rising star Leah Rachel for a raunchy comedy produced by Will Ferrell and Adam McKay. The "untitled Threesome project" is apparently moving forward now and may have secured a star in Zac Efron, who has been showing his comedic range lately with That Awkward Moment and Neighbors.

We're also learning more about the Threesome plot, which "follows a high-powered businesswoman and her new temp who get drunk at a Christmas party, have a threesome, and both end up pregnant from the same man". Efron would presumably play that guy caught in the middle of the situation, if this story from The Tracking Board turns out to be accurate.

Next up for Efron is the recently-wrapped DJ dramedy, We are your Friends.

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Adam McKay may Direct a Future Marvel Film

If you know the name Adam McKay it's probably because you're familiar with his frequent Will Ferrell comedies like Anchorman, Anchorman 2, Step Brothers, and The Other Guys. He's also a big fan of comic books, and for awhile he was developing an adaptation of Garth Ennis' R-rated superhero satire, The Boys. That never happened, but he got his superhero fix by giving a rewrite to Marvel's upcoming Ant-Man film, and it looks like he's ready for more.

Speaking with CraveOnline, McKay revealed that talks have begun with Marvel for him to direct a future project for the studio....

McKay: "[I] had such a great time that we’re kicking around ideas. But yeah, maybe I would take on one of the characters. We haven't locked in anything, but discussions are definitely going on."

By the sound of it he could be talking about a Marvel One-Shot, the short films that tend to focus on a single character. Assuming he is talking about a feature, which character would be best suited to McKay's talents? For now, he's working on his financial world drama, The Big Short, based on the book by Moneyball and The Blind Side author, Michael Lewis. 

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So Much for that 'Uptown Saturday Night' Remake with Will Smith and Denzel Washington

Lost in Adam McKay's numerous projects, from Anchorman 2 to doing rewrites on Ant-Man, is that he was supposed to have begun work on a remake of the 1974 Sidney Poitier/Bill Cosby crime comedy, Uptown Saturday Night. It even had a powerhouse duo guaranteed to earn some serious $$$ at the box office, with Denzel Washington and Will Smith (!!!!) set to star with a screenplay from Neighbors writer, Nicholas Stoller. But nothing has come of it, and McKay recently revealed to Collider that the promising film has been canned by Warner Bros.

McKay: “In the case of Uptown Saturday Night, that actually isn’t happening. I did a script with Nicholas Stoller and they didn’t quite respond to it. I mean who knows, if they come back with a great script from other writers I could reattach, but for now that doesn’t look like that’s going. So I was happy that I found these other projects because that was one I thought I was doing and it just didn’t quite get there.”

I'm of two minds on this because Uptown Saturday Night, which follows two friends' crazed attempts to retrieve a stolen winning lotto ticket, is a personal favorite that doesn't need to be messed with. But the thought of seeing Denzel and Smith together is something that may never came around again. McKay's next project will instead be his economic crisis drama, The Big Short. 

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Adam McKay to Direct Ben Schwartz and Seth Rogen in Untitled Comedy

It's taken some time but Ben Schwartz is starting to grow on me. He's been great on Showtime's House of Lies and has a funny supporting role in this week's This is Where I Leave You, and now the Emmy-winning actor/writer has some big names attached to a new comedy he has put together.

Anchorman director Adam McKay is set to helm an untitled comedy that will star Schwartz and Seth Rogen. It's based on a story developed by Schwartz but no details have been revealed yet. McKay and Will Ferrell will be producing through their Gary Sanchez Productions, alongside Rogen and Evan Goldberg's Point Grey banner.

As you'd expect, Rogen had something funny to say about the deal:

Rogen: “Every two thousand years the planets of our galaxy align in a perfect line that funnels the cosmic energies of the universe to flow into one perfect comedic collaboration. The time is now. This is that project. Nothing will ever be the same,” said Rogen with Goldberg adding, “McKay and Schwartz are reeeeeeal smart, well-endowed guys and we couldn't be more excited to be working with them.”

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Will Ferrell and Adam McKay Producing Animated Supervillain Comedy 'Henchmen'

Will Ferrell is a funny guy and he has a voice everybody can instantly recognize, which is why he's been a frequent presence in animated movies. He's lent his vocals to Curious George, Megamind, and of course this year's The Lego Movie and clearly it's something he enjoys doing. So it's no surprise that Ferrell and his producing partner Adam McKay are teaming up on another animated comedy, which like Megamind is set in the world of supervillains.

Ferrell, McKay, and Chris Henchy will produce and be the creative overseers on Henchmen, a feature-length comedy based on Adam Wood's animated short film, Henchmen: Ill Suited. Wood will direct the film himself, with Dennis McNicholas (SNL) writing the most recent draft for the story of a museum janitor in Supervillain City who causes chaos after donning a powered-up space suit. There will also be a "fallen henchman" named Hank who is part of the blue-collar team known as the Union of Evil, and he must embrace his heroic side in order to save the guy in the suit and the woman he loves.

At this point it doesn't sound like Ferrell will be voicing any characters but that could change before production begins in 2016. Check out a cool teaser for Henchmen below.


HENCHMEN TEASER 2014 from Bron Studios Inc. on Vimeo.

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Will Ferrell and Adam McKay Revive 'Manimal'; Steve Carell Leads 'Brooklyn Family Robinson'

The combination of Will Ferrell and Steve Carell has been incredibly with two Anchorman movies not just performing well at the box office, but becoming cultural touchstones. People love those films and can't get enough of either actor right now as they do their own thing, and now both have projects on the way that are sure to get a lot of attention....but especially Farrell's because it is bizarre.

So a couple of years ago Sony Pictures Animation began developing a feature film based on the terrible TV series Manimal. Although it only lasted for eight episodes back in 1983, the show has become a cult favorite mainly due to it being the butt of jokes. Simon MacCorkindale starred as Jonathan Chase, a guy with the power to transform into any animal, using that ability to fight crime. The show was hella cheap and often looked like somebody just took some photos at the local zoo to capture Chase's transformations. It's a crazy concept, perfect for Ferrell and Adam McKay who are on board to produce the live-action/CGI film. As of now Ferrell is not taking on the role of Chase, nor is McKay in line to direct but both of those things could change. Jay Martel and Ian Robert will provide the screenplay. Good luck making that work. Friggin' Manimal.

And Carell is now set to lead Brooklyn Family Robinson, an original script by Finding Nemo writer David Reynolds. Plot details are slim but it's described as a family adventure comedy about a patriarch who uproots his family from the city to the islands. [THR]

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It's Official: Peyton Reed is New 'Ant-Man' Director; Adam McKay Rewriting Script

And the long national nightmare that has been Marvel's search for an Ant-Man director is finally over. After Edgar Wright dropped out of the film he'd been attached to for eight years rather than deal with a ton of rewrites, every stone was overturned to find his replacement. Most recently it was Peyton Reed (Bring It On) who was said to be the latest frontrunner, and now the job is his.

Reed, whose latest film was the Jim Carrey/Zooey Deschanel comedy Yes Man, will take over on Ant-Man, but perhaps the biggest surprise is the announcement of Adam McKay (Anchorman) giving the script a rewrite. McKay had been Marvel's top choice as director but publicly took his name out of the running. It's worth noting that in Marvel's press release they don't mention Edgar Wright or co-writer Joe Cornish, a blatant statement of their intention to move in a completely different direction than Wright had intended.

Marvel's official statement on Reed's hire comes with a brand new synopsis, as well:

When Marvel’s “Ant-Man” hits theaters July 17, 2015, director Peyton Reed will help shepherd the hero into the Marvel Cinematic Universe with a cast led by Paul Rudd and Michael Douglas, with writer Adam McKay contributing to the film’s script.

Armed with the astonishing ability to shrink in scale but increase in strength, con-man Scott Lang (Rudd) must embrace his inner-hero and help his mentor, Dr. Hank Pym (Douglas), protect the secret behind his spectacular Ant-Man suit from a new generation of towering threats. Against seemingly insurmountable obstacles, Pym and Lang must plan and pull off a heist that will save the world.

The problem Marvel faces now is fan enthusiasm, which isn't going to be replenished by hiring Reed, a director most aren't familiar with and isn't highly regarded.

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*UPDATE* Adam McKay Enters Talks for 'Ant-Man', Then Drops Out

The Ant-Man situation continues to be a fluid thing, with updates coming on a daily, sometimes hourly basis. Case in point is the search for a director to replace Edgar Wright, with Adam McKay, Ruben Fleischer, and Rawson Thurber  emerging as contenders. Last night it was Thurber who appeared to be the frontrunner, but shortly thereafter AICN reported McKay had officially entered talks with Marvel. Considering his busy schedule and independent-minded approach, McKay seemed to be the least likely to want the job, and maybe that's why he has changed his mind and pulled out of contention.

After negotiating with Marvel yesterday, McKay has decided not to take the job. No reason has been given except to say the choice was "his alone".

 *UPDATE* McKay has since hit Twitter to reveal his reasons for dropping out, and it's pretty much what we thought. He's got enough stuff to do already.

And yes, met w/Marvel. Kirby & Lee r my Lennon Mccartney so it was awesome. But have other projects I'm committed to. Not sure it can work.
— Adam McKay (@GhostPanther) May 31, 2014

That leaves Thurber, coming off the hit comedy We're the Millers, and Zombieland's Fleischer as the only candidates known at this point. Given Fleischer's personal commitments and possible involvement with Ghostbusters 3, Thurber could be the guy Marvel turns to.

So there will be no Anchorman reunion between McKay and Paul Rudd, who is set to play Ant-Man when the film opens in July of next year.  [THR]

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Rawson Thurber the Frontrunner for 'Ant-Man' Gig; Ruben Fleischer Eyed for 'Ghostbusters 3'

For the second Friday in a row Marvel is dominating the headlines, and again it's Ant-Man at the center of a lot of it. Earlier today we learned that Josh Brolin would be voicing Thanos in Guardians of the Galaxy, and then a short list of contenders to replace Edgar Wright as director of Ant-Man emerged. On that list were Rawson Thurber, Adam McKay, and Ruben Fleischer, but now it's looking as if Thurber has the edge.

The Wrap reports Thurber as the frontrunner for the gig, sighting his willingness to "serve a studio's vision", something Wright was unwilling to do. It helps that Thurber is red hot after last year's $270M hit, We're the Millers. Those factors give him the edge over McKay and Fleischer, who perhaps have greater cred with the crowd Marvel is trying to reach. McKay would have been the big score but an imperfect fit as he is similar to Wright in wanting to tell his own stories. Besides, he's got more than enough to do already. He's producing an animated version of The Flintstones, has the financial world drama The Big Short developing, and he may direct his buddy Will Ferrell in Border Guards.

As for Fleischer, he's still in the mix but The Wrap says he has family commitments that could prevent him from jumping into the job right away, which is something Marvel clearly wants. A better fit may be Ghostbusters 3, which Fleischer is apparently being sought for but is still a long ways off from going into production.

Paul Rudd, Michael Douglas, Patrick Wilson, Evangeline Lily, and Michael Pena are presumably still on board for Ant-Man, which Marvel hopes to open July 17th 2015.

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'Ant-Man' Director Shortlist Includes Adam McKay, Rawson Thurber, and Ruben Fleischer

The dust is beginning to settle after Edgar Wright's ugly departure from Marvel's Ant-Man with most of the details out in the open for all to see. While fans can't be too happy to learn editorial pressure forced Wright's exit, a new director still needs to be found and now Marvel is starting to weigh their options.

According to THR, Marvel is set to meet with Adam McKay, Rawson Thurber, and Ruben Fleischer about the job, which would see them tossed right into the fire in hopes of having the film ready by next summer.  What's immediately obvious is that all three are known as comedy directors so perhaps some of the irreverent tone crafted by Wright and co-writer Joe Cornish will remain intact.

McKay is Will Ferrell's primary wingman, directing both Anchorman movies and showing a deft hand for action with The Other Guys, making him perhaps the best option of the three and the hardest to secure. Fleischer is best known for helming Zombieland and Gangster Squad, while Thurber is coming off last year's $200M smash, We're the Millers.

Other rumors going around were that James Gunn (Guardians of the Galaxy) would take over, but he shot those down pretty harshly, and Agent Carter director Louis D'Espositio may also be in the mix. Whoever Marvel chooses they'll need to hustle to get Ant-Man ready by July 17th 2015.

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Zach Galifianakis, Paul Rudd, and Michel Hazanavicius Set for 'Will'

Some projects just won't go away, and one that keeps finding new life is Will, a high-concept comedy penned by comedian Demitri Martin. It's been sitting on the backburner for a while and once had Valerie Faris and Jonathan Dayton (Little Miss Sunshine) attached to direct. Zach Galifianakis and Paul Rudd were set to star, but the film went nowhere. It was a couple of years ago that Oscar-winning director Michel Hazanavicius (The Artist) was said to be eying the directing job, only for nothing to happen once again.

Now as Hazanavicius prepares to unspool his war drama The Search to the Cannes audience, word comes that he is again back at the helm for Will, with the same cast in place. Galifianakis is set to star, with Rudd in talks to for the film which is set in a world totally devoid of free will and life pre-ordained in every way. Rudd would play Will, who discovers on his 34th birthday that he can do whatever he wants. Galifianakis would be his rebellious guardian angel. Adding their muscle are Will Ferrell and Adam McKay as producers.

The Search is a rare dramatic turn for Hazanavicius who has mostly directed comedies throughout his career. Filming is set to begin this summer, and after that wraps he'll move on to WWII film In the Garden of Beasts starring Tom Hanks and Natalie Portman with Eric Roth scripting. [Variety]

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Yabbadabbadoo? Will Ferrell and Adam McKay Producing 'The Flinstones' Animated Film

And the Hollywood nostalgia train continues. Jem and the Holograms. Popeye. Mighty Morphin Power Rangers. Barbie. Green Acres. And now The Flintstones are headed back to the big screen for the first time since 2000's live-action The Flintstones in Viva Rock Vegas, only this time it will be animated and come courtesy of Will Ferrell and Adam McKay.

Ferrell and McKay will exec-produce the animated film for Warner Bros. through their Gary Sanchez production label, which probably means Ferrell will voice one of the characters. Chris Henchy (The Campaign) will write the script following the prehistoric Flintstone clan and their neighbors, The Rubbles.

No word on a director at this stage but given this is a Warner Bros. project one has to figure they will ask The Lego Movie directors Phil Lord and Chris Miller. Speaking of which, is it possible this is one of the animated movies the studio recently slotted for 2017 and 2018 release dates?  [THR]

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Will Ferrell and John C. Reilly will Keep America Safe as 'Border Guards'

While a Step Brothers sequel remains a pipe dream, and there don't appear to be any Talladega Nights follow-ups on the way, Will Ferrell and John C. Reilly are finding new ways to work together, which is to all of our benefit. The duo are set to join Adam McKay for Border Guards, a comedy that puts them in the unlikely position of America's protectors. We're all doomed.

Ferrell and McKay will produce with the latter eying the director's chair for the film penned by Jesse Armstrong, Oscar-nominated writer of In the Loop. And this has the potential for the same level of biting satire. Ferrell and Reilly play hapless friends who decide to do something with their lives by defending the U.S. border from illegal immigrants. In the process they wind up getting stuck in Mexico without identification, and must sneak back across the border into the U.S.

Reilly recently had a brief but awesome cameo in Anchorman 2, and anything that gets these guys together is a good thing. No word on when filming on Border Guards begins, but hopefully it will be soon. [Deadline]

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Adam McKay to Direct Financial World Drama 'The Big Short'

If there was one thing that felt a little out of place in the hilarious Mark Wahlberg/Will Ferrell cop comedy The Other Guys, it was the closing credits detailing the many ways the rich have been screwing over the middle class. It may have fit with the story but the finger-wagging tone of it was a little bit off. One thing it proved is that Adam McKay has a lot more depth to him than we normally see in his usual pairings with Ferrell, and now he's going to indulge in that side fully.

McKay is set to direct an adaptation of The Big Short: Inside the Doomsday Machine, based on the book by Moneyball author Michael Lewis. McKay will also pen the script with Brad Pitt on board to produce, and in a nutshell the story deals with the derivative market, one of those things that is so obscure financial experts making a ton of money on it can't even tell you what the heck a derivative is. All we know is that it helped lead to the "too big to fail" banks that crashed our economy, and it continues to be an issue now.

The book synopsis is below, followed by a scene from Michael Moore's documentary, Capitalism: A Love Story, in which he asks a bunch of Wall Street fat cats to explain derivatives , with spectacularly bad results.

The real story of the crash began in bizarre feeder markets where the sun doesn't shine and the SEC doesn't dare, or bother, to tread: the bond and real estate derivative markets where geeks invent impenetrable securities to profit from the misery of lower--and middle--class Americans who can't pay their debts. The smart people who understood what was or might be happening were paralyzed by hope and fear; in any case, they weren't talking.
Michael Lewis creates a fresh, character-driven narrative brimming with indignation and dark humor, a fitting sequel to his #1 bestseller Liar's Poker. Out of a handful of unlikely--really unlikely--heroes, Lewis fashions a story as compelling and unusual as any of his earlier bestsellers, proving yet again that he is the finest and funniest chronicler of our time. 

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Adam McKay Says "Definitely No" to an 'Anchorman 3'

It seems crazy now to think that it took years, a ton of fan outcry, and some begging by Adam McKay and Will Ferrell for Paramount to green light Anchorman: The Legend Continues. It paid off, obviously, with the sequel nearly doubling Anchorman's box office haul. It should also do gangbusters on Blu-Ray when it hits shelves. But despite all of that, it looks like we've seen the last of Ron Burgundy on the big screen.

While chatting with Empire before the R-Rated, super-sized cut of Anchorman 2 hits theaters tomorrow, McKay made it clear that Burgundy is hanging up his mustache for good....

McKay:  “It’s done. I think that’s it. It was great to do it and it was so fun to work with those guys again, but I think that’s it for Ron Burgundy.”

Although the film performed well, it wasn't exactly a smash so we probably won't see Paramount trying to change McKay's mind. The director seems ready to move on to new projects and new characters, which could also mean a Step Brothers sequel is kaput....

McKay: “No, that’s the last sequel we’re gonna do. There’s nothing more fun to me than new characters and a new world. And now we’re releasing this alt version, we’re totally satisfied. No Anchorman 3.”

And as if that wasn't final enough, McKay put one last nail in the coffin....


McKay: “I’m going to say definitely no. I’ll actually say it in this case!”

This is probably a good idea, anyway. Anchorman 2 was funny at times, but the Burgundy schtick had run dry long ago. It'll be more interesting to see what McKay and Ferrell can cook up with Anchorman clearly in the rear view.

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Trailer and Clip for R-Rated, Super-Sized 'Anchorman 2', Hitting Theaters Next Week

If you thought Anchorman 2: The Legend Continues was the last you were going to hear from Ron Burgundy, then think again. Adam McKay and Will Ferrell took the film through many different forms along the way, with talk of there being a massive musical number that unfortunately never made it into the version we saw in theaters. They shoot a ton of material that usually ends up on the DVD or Blu-Ray, just like the short film 'Wake Up, Ron Burgundy' was included as an extra on the original Anchorman home release. Well, once again there are so many left over jokes that they've created an entirely new version of Anchorman 2, and it's heading to theaters next week.

A trailer and clip for the Super-Sized R-Rated cut of Anchorman 2: The Legend Continues is here, before it makes a one-week theatrical run beginning on February 28th.  With supposedly 763 new jokes, that full musical number we never saw, and an extra 20 minute run time, it's basically an entirely new film that McKay says is only for the most hardcore of Ron Burgundy fans...

“When my editor told me we had a whole different version of the movie that was more than two hours long with nearly 800 new jokes, I was shocked. But when Paramount said they were actually going to put it in theaters, I did an 1950's spit take. If you're a hardcore Anchorman fan go see this. If you're not, stay very far away." 

 This version of the film will also be available when Anchorman 2 hits store shelves in April, but if you're truly a die-hard follower of the Channel 4 News Team how could you possibly stay away?

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Review: 'Anchorman 2: The Legend Continues' Starring Will Ferrell

You know our news media is terrible when Ron Burgundy emerges as the voice of reason, but that's exactly what he does in Anchorman 2: The Legend Continues, when he's not busy being the clueless and offensive retro newscaster we all know and love. The cheap suits and porn mustaches are back in this long-awaited, clamored-for sequel, which cranks the silly factor up to 11 but lacks the fresh, improvisational spirit of its predecessor. There are too many funny, extremely talented folks for the film to be a total miss, but it doesn't quite hold up with the sturdiness of Burgundy's "salon quality hair".

In the grand scheme of Ferrell comedies, the original Anchorman was something of a modest hit, middle of the pack in terms of box office, but its cultural impact has been a dominating thing, and the film remains one of the most quotable movies of all-time. When someone tells you to "Stay classy", you know it's a Burgundy. Like it or not, Anchorman has secured its place in the comedy annals, whereas the sequel works better as biting social commentary, something Ferrell is becoming quite adept at of late after last year's underrated The Campaign, and his take-down of corporate criminals in The Other Guys.

But those who didn't sign up for a lesson why journalism is totally ass-backwards nowadays can take heart that Burgundy and his team of moronic anchors are just as...well, moronic as ever. Now that he's managed to wrap his pea-brain around women newsreaders and settled down with progressive wife Victoria Corningstone (Christina Applegate), the two have moved on to the bright lights of New York City as a husband and wife news team. However, Burgundy's vanity resurfaces when legendary news anchor Mark Hacken (Harrison Ford, chomping like he never left the 42set) steps down and promotes Victoria to the prime time spot. Burgundy gets straight-up canned; sent packing and left wallowing in a drunken, self-pitying misery that destroys his marriage. After a disastrous suicide attempt and even more disastrous stint working at Sea World, Burgundy gets a new lease on life when he's offered a slot on what sounds like an absurd idea: a 24-hour news network.

Burgundy rounds up his idiot musketeers in the Channel 4 News Team, and some of the heartiest laughs come as we see how they've all moved on. Racist sportscaster Champ Kind (David Koechner) owns a chicken joint; suave womanizer Brian Fantana (Paul Rudd) is surrounded by pussy as a pet photographer; and braindead weather man Brick Tamland (Steve Carell) has died. Only not really. The gang hits New York expecting things to be as they always were, only to find out they've been unceremoniously dumped onto the 2AM graveyard shift, which makes his feud with prime time superstar anchor Jack Lime (James Marsden) a pretty bad idea.

And if you thought the guys had trouble dealing with women in the workplace before, racial diversity proves an even tougher obstacle.  The sexist jokes of before are the mildly racist jokes of now as Burgundy deals with a sexy, brassy new African-American boss (Meagan Good), and his impromptu shouts of "Black!!" should seem very familiar to a gag from the first film. Actually, Anchorman 2's biggest failure is trying so hard to replicate old gags. Everything from the jazz flute to Fantana's wall of erotica is replicated here less effectively. They're still funny, but they aren't the big, hearty laughs of before, and what's more there isn't much of a narrative flow to the film.  That wasn't such a big deal before when Burgundy's string of non-sequitors were more than enough to carry the day, but Ferrell and writer/director Adam McKay are trying to make a point this time, which proves to be a double-edged sword.

Come to find out we have Burgundy to blame for pretty much every ridiculous stunt "ratings-grabbing" idea the cable news outlets have been indulging in. Asking the question that must be plastered on Fox News conference rooms everywhere: “Why do we have to tell people what they need to know? Why can’t we just tell them what they want to hear?”, Burgundy's broadcast is little more than a 3-hour puff piece of live car chases, cute pets, home runs, and hurricane forecasts. The ratings soar, but real journalism takes a swift kick in the patootie. It's new, refreshing ground that the screenplay is tackling, and the insight it provides make for some of the film's most rewarding moments. However, I like my Burgundy more boorish and unrepentant, and without giving too much away he goes through an evolution that doesn't quite fit with the character.

While there are a lot of re-heated gags, going into this as cold as possible still proves worthwhile. A running joke involving a shark proves especially inspired, and they get some good mileage out of Brick Tamland's ridiculous courtship of Kristen Wiig's brain-addled secretary. Brick is actually more of a factor this time than either Champ or Fantana, although none of them really get a moment to shine.  It's such a pleasure to see the talented Megan Good get a spot in a big film like this, and she clearly puts everything she has into the role even though all she gets to do is react to Ferrell's antics. Cameos are pretty thin until a massive and flat out bonkers sequence towards the finale that trumps the news anchor battle royal from the first film. It's so good that you can't help wishing the entire movie had that same level of energy and chaos. So even though Anchorman 2 will be worth the wait for most people, it too often felt like a rerun rather than breaking news.

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Amanda Seyfried to Star in 'He's F-ing Perfect'

Amanda Seyfried's attempt to dirty herself up for Lovelace didn't quite pan out the way she might have hoped. Actually, the film was total joke, although it wasn't for lack of trying. So she's going to veer in the other direction and do something she hasn't done in a long time, which is star in a straight-up comedy.

 She'll take the lead in He's F-ing Perfect, which is probably looking at a name change somewhere down the line. Produced by Will Ferrell and Adam McKay, with Funny or Die vet Jake Szymanski directing, the film centers on a pessismistic woman who scrutinizes the men in her friends' lives. When she convinces one of her friends to dump her new boyfriend, Seyfried's character uses all her social media savvy to win him for herself.

McKay's assistant Lauryn Kahn wrote the script, and this one's been kicking around for some time. Emma Stone had been eying it at one point, back when the project was still at Fox. Universal picked up the rights and are moving forward with Seyfried, who hasn't done a film of this type since Mean Girls. [THR]

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Two New Trailers for 'Anchorman: The Legend Continues'

I can't be the only one who has felt that the marketing for Anchorman: The Legend Continues has been a bit off. Not that the long-awaited sequel to the quotable classic really needs a big push, but parading Will Ferrell's Ron Burgundy around in woefully unfunny Dodge Durango commercials isn't going to instill a lot of confidence the film can measure up to the original. Plus, let's be honest and admit the prior teasers weren't all that funny. But things may be looking up with the arrival of not one, but two vastly different trailers that offer the most promising look at the film yet. Enjoy them while indulging in the new Ron Burgundy inspired Ben & Jerry's ice cream "Scotchy Scotch Scotch".

Both trailers are great, and show off vastly different aspects of what Adam McKay, Ferrell, Paul Rudd, Steve Carell, and the gang have been working on. The American version reveals that Burgundy lost his old job to his wife, Veronica Corningstone (Christina Applegate), leading to the marital troubles we've heard about before. Think he had trouble just dealing with a woman anchor before? How about throwing a little racial diversity into the mix? Nope, doesn't turn out so well.  The international trailer is even better, delivering a brief history lesson on the devolution of the news industry and giving us our first look at Harrison Ford (!!!). It does seem to be rehashing a few gags but for the most part they seem to have captured the feel of the original.

Will Anchorman: The Legend Continues live up to the lofty expectations? We'll find out when it opens December 20th.


Anchorman 2: The Legend Continues (International Trailer) by tvPRIME


Anchorman 2: The Legend Continues (Trailer 2) by tvPRIME

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First Full Trailer for 'Anchorman 2: The Legend Continues' Is Kind Of A Big Deal

"They rose like the phoenix and then they were gone. Their legend became a whisper, told by the trees. Until now." It's been a decade since Anchorman: The Legend of Ron Burgundy basically made a superstar of Will Ferrell, and fans have clamored for a sequel to the quotable and hilarious comedy classic. After a year of ready-made teasers for Anchorman: The Legend Continues showed us absolutely nothing, the wait for the full trailer is over, and it looks like the Channel 4 News Team will be broadcasting live from the 1980s.

Ferrell, Paul Rudd, David Koechner, and Steve Carell are back, and again they'll be struggling to contend with the evolution of the news business. Racial diversity and the 24hr news cycle throw the guys for a loop as they move to New York City to lead a fledgling news network. Ron dabbles in interracial dating, making a bigger fool of himself than usual, and awkward love is in the air between Brick Tamland and a woman (Kristen Wiig) whose hair looks like wet popcorn.

It's big hair, bad mustaches, new enemies (lookin' at you, James Marsden!) and business as usual when Anchorman 2: The Legend Continues goes live on December 20th.

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