Melissa McCarthy Gets Some Action in the First Trailers for 'Spy'

No matter how you slice it, audiences love Melissa McCarthy. What's more, they love her when paired up with director Paul Feig who she worked with on the hit comedies Bridesmaids and The Heat. While we wait to find out of they'll get together again for Ghostbusters, the duo have another potential smash on their hands with Spy (formerly Susan Cooper), an espionage comedy that we now have green and redband trailers for.

McCarthy stars as Susan Cooper, a former schoolteacher who becomes a lowly analyst for the CIA who is forced into the field when another agent becomes compromised. This looks pretty funny, especially Jude Law as the secret agent whose allergies fouled up the prior mission. Beyond the spy stuff it looks like trademark McCarthy, and with a cast that includes Rose Byrne, Jason Statham, Bobby Cannavale, Miranda Hart, and 50 Cent she's going to have a lot of help.

Spy hits theaters on May 22nd.

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Melissa McCarthy in Early Talks for Paul Feig's 'Ghostbusters' Reboot

Surely everyone knew this was coming. Melissa McCarthy has been around for longer than many may know, but she didn't really hit it big until she began working with Paul Feig on Bridesmaids and The Heat. When Feig began developing the espionage comedy, Spy, McCarthy was the first one on board for it. And when he began developing an all-female Ghostbusters reboot, McCarthy was mentioned early and often as a likely star. To the surprise of absolutely nobody it's looking like McCarthy and Feig will be working together once more.

According to THR, McCarthy is in very early talks to lead Ghostbusters, but her participation is going to require some stuff get moved around on her schedule. Between the comedy Michelle Darnell (recently set for a 2016 release) and CBS sitcom Mike & Molly her calendar is pretty full already, plus some creative details need to worked out over meetings. So we'll see what happens there but chances are everyone involved with move mountains to make sure this happens.

Another who is a possible contender is Emma Stone, and she's apparently available after turning down a role in JC Chandor's Deepwater Horizon. Cecily Strong of SNL and 22 Jump Street's Jillian Bell are also said to be in the mix. Unfortunately we probably won't be seeing Jennifer Lawrence or Rebel Wilson suiting up as Ghostbusters, even though Wilson previously admitted to meeting with producers.

Right now they're really banking on McCarthy to be the headliner, and if scheduling can't be worked out it will be interesting to see what the backup plan is.

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Channing Tatum's 'Gambit' Film set for October 2016

Hard to believe that when we say "next year" it means 2016, but it's time to start looking ahead to the movies that will be arriving then. Over at 20th Century Fox and Dreamworks, they're already announcing dates for some of the biggest films of 2016, while shifting around others. One of those will be Fox's X-men spinoff featuring the ragin' cajun, Gambit.

Get your pitchforks out now, True Believers, because the Gambit film starring Channing Tatum will open October 7th 2016. How exactly it will tie-in to next year's X-men: Apocalypse is still unclear but the character is expected to appear, especially since Josh Zetumer has a hand in writing both movies.

Michael Fassbender is set to star in the adaptation of hit video game Assassin's Creed, which will now open on December 7th 2016. He'll be rejoining his Macbeth director Justin Kurzel. What else? Hugh Jackman's long-developing P.T. Barnum biopic The Greatest Showman on Earth will pitch its tent on Christmas Day 2016; Funny or Die vet Jake Szymanski has a film titled Mike and Dave Need Wedding Dates which is opening July 29th 2016. In 2017 we have the Rosamund Pike and Charlie Hunnam romance, The Mountain Between Us, opening on February 10th. Fox has also shifted a couple of major tentpole flicks, placing the hopeful Fantastic Four sequel on June 2nd 2017 (a little early, isn't it?) while setting the next Planet of the Apes film on July 14th.

And over at Universal they've dated the next Melissa McCarthy comedy, Michelle Darnell, for April 8th 2016. Directed by her husband Ben Falcone, the film has McCarthy as "a titan of industry who is sent to prison after she’s caught for insider trading.  When she emerges ready to rebrand herself as America’s latest sweetheart, not everyone she screwed over is so quick to forgive and forget." The film will take the date previously occupied by Clifford the Big Red Dog, which is now off the schedule.

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Jennifer Lawrence could Star in 'Ghostbusters' Reboot along with Emma Stone and Melissa McCarthy

All of the bad mojo surrounding Ghostbusters is gone now that Paul Feig is planning an all-female reboot, and it seems some of Hollywood's top ladies are down to be a part of it. While Bill Murray may have his dream casting for it all thought out, others are throwing their names into the ring. Rebel Wilson recently revealed she had met with Feig about a role, and apparently so has Jennifer Lawrence. In a strange MTV UK video where they ask celebrities their dream cast for Ghostbusters, Lawrence revealed she had met with Feig, too.  She doesn't come right out and say it was for Ghostbusters, but given the context why else would she mention it?


Meanwhile, her name has popped up in relation to the project elsewhere, and of course it's part of the Sony hacking scandal that has exposed everything about the studio. In an email sent from Sony's Amy Pascal to Ivan Reitman, she says Lawrence, Melissa McCarthy, Emma Stone, and others are interested in gearing up their proton packs...

"Paul's movie is gonna be the first one and from what I'm hearing jennifer lawrence and Emma stone and Melissa McCarthy and Amy schumer and liszzy [Lizzy] Kaplan [Caplan] just to name a few have already said thy wanted to be in...."

All of those names make some degree of sense as they have close connections to Feig; not to mention they're all hilarious and extremely talented women who could make this movie pretty amazing.

Pascal also says Feig's Ghostbusters "isn't a sequel to the 80s movies and it is gonna be totally original with completely different characters", which sounds like exactly what a reboot should be. Probably the smart way to go as there wasn't this much excitement for the film until Feig came aboard. But at the same time, Sony knows a lot of people were clamoring for Bill Murray to return, although the actor remained completely uninterested in it. And apparently Sony was considering some heavy legal action to try and force him to come back. In an email from October 2013 between two Sony legal execs, they considered taking an "aggressive" stance against Murray, but feared what would happen if all this came out in the public. Whoops.

“In order to more fully evaluate our position if Bill Murray again declines to engage on ‘Ghostbusters’, AG requested that we identify ‘aggressive’ litigation counsel with whom we can consult to evaluate our alternatives and strategize,” the email read. “[Harkening back to his prior employer, of course, raised the name of David Boies.] Personally, while I’m fine with aggressive, I think we are in much worse shape if this goes public so seems to me we should look for someone who isn’t seeking the spotlight.”

So no go on suing Murray. Wise move. Could you imagine the distraction he'd be on set if forced to be there? Crazy.  [TheDailyBeast]

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Melissa McCarthy to Play Tinker Bell in Comedy Directed by Shawn Levy

Melissa McCarthy may not be the most obvious choice to play Peter Pan's glittering fairy pal, Tinker Bell, but that's where the comedy comes in, right? Fox has picked up a pitch by McCarthy and director Shawn Levy (Real Steel) for a comedy-adventure that will be written by Nicholas Stoller, fresh off the hit film, Neighbors.

What else do we know about it? Not much, except that it's meant to be a "fresh take" on the classic Peter Pan story. Levy is already in Fox's good graces with his Night at the Museum trilogy, and chances are he'll stick with the family-friendly tone. Audiences seem to love McCarthy no matter what she does (even the awful Tammy was a smash), and Stoller showed he can do more than raunchy comedies with his scripts for The Muppets and Muppets Most Wanted. [Deadline]

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Review: 'St. Vincent' starring Bill Murray, Melissa McCarthy, and Naomi Watts

Stop me if you've heard this one: A hot-tempered misanthrope with personal demons a mile long who meets and befriends a precocious young boy in desperate need of fatherly guidance. Yeah, we've seen it a thousand times before and these films are always winners with audiences because they make us feel good. And that's what St. Vincent has going for it, basically, that despite hitting overload on the Cute Meter and going exactly where we know it will; by the end you're feeling good enough to give it a pass. Plus it has Bill Murray in full Rushmore-mode, which is always a good thing.

Murray slips easily into the role of liquor-breathed degenerate, Vincent, a man with no money, no friends, a mountain of gambling debts, and no tolerance for anybody. That is except for his pregnant Russian "girlfriend" Daka (Naomi Watts), who also happens to be a prostitute with a chip on her shoulder. Vincent hates people, people hate him, and that only makes the arrival of his new neighbors a bigger problem. The first time he meets single mother Maggie (Melissa McCarthy) and her young son Oliver (Jaeden Lieberher) it's a showcase of his awful attitude. Think Clint Eastwood's character in Gran Torino if he was meaner, drunker, and generally more "hey you kids get offa my lawn"!

With Maggie working long hours and Oliver attending an expensive Catholic School (with Chris O'Dowd hilarious as his teacher, we needed more of him), Vincent is called upon to be the kid's babysitter, despite ample evidence he'd be terrible at the job. And of course he turns out to be a bad influence in the way that somehow still makes him lovable. If you've seen Rushmore, The Royal Tenenbaums, or this year's Bad Words, you'll see the montage of Vincent and Oliver hanging out coming ten miles away. It's still enjoyable to watch the old guy take Oliver gambling, to a bar, and to a strip club. The kid breaks down those emotional barriers Vincent has put up to escape a painful, and a little makeshift family begins to form.

Standard issue stuff, right? First-time writer/director Ted Melfi infuses a few personal details to a mostly clichéd story, and doesn't attempt to hide this is meant to be a rousing, crowd charmer. Because of that there isn't a ton of nuance to be found in many of these characters, but Melfi finds a way to make them all unique in their own way. Murray has played the irresponsible man child so many times in his career (stretching way back to Meatballs) that this feels like a natural fit for him. He elevates what could have been just another angry old man character, giving us a deeper look at Vincent as the story unfolds to reveal some dark truths. Is it the Oscar-contending performance many have pegged it to be? Maybe not, but it's not for lack of trying by either Murray or Melfi, who take every opportunity to tug at the heartstrings. Audiences are going to love Murray, though, and he's great when paired up with Lieberher. It's also good to see McCarthy in a role that doesn't require her to play, loud, abrasive, and clumsy. She doesn't get many laugh lines here at all and it's actually a refreshing change to see her get away from the usual bag of tricks. The same can't really be said for Watts, who puts on an atrocious Russian accent and waddles around like...well, like a woman in her third trimester. She just doesn't serve much of a purpose except as an incubator for an inevitable heart-warming moment.

St. Vincent often feels like a manufactured grab for awards recognition and maybe it was. That much is unavoidable, but so too is how good the film will make you feel, and sometimes sending the audience home with a smile is more than enough.

 Rating: 3 out of 5

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Bill Murray Has Some Ideas for that All-Female 'Ghostbusters' Movie

Considering most had begun to write off a potential Ghostbusters 3 as a terrible idea cursed from the start, the positive reaction to Paul Feig (Bridesmaids) directing a female-led version was a step in the right direction. While there hasn't been any official casting just yet, one person who thinks it's a good idea is Bill Murray, who famously has refused to return for the sequel. While at TIFF reaping a ton of Oscar buzz for his performance in St. Vincent, Murray was asked by Access Hollywood about a female Ghostbusters movie and was extremely enthusiastic about it. Enthusiastic enough to maybe change his mind and come back?

Murray: "It sounds great to me. It sounds as good an idea as any other! There are a lot of women that could scare off any kind of vapor! No, it’s a grand idea, I don’t know who they’re talking about, but it’s a good idea, I would watch it! I mean, I love Robert Palmer’s videos, so why wouldn’t I love the female Ghostbusters?"

While talking to the Toronto Star he even came up with a few casting suggestions, including his St. Vincent co-star Melissa McCarthy...

Murray: “Melissa would be a spectacular Ghostbuster. And Kristen Wiig is so funny — God, she’s funny! I like this girl Linda Cardellini a lot. And Emma Stone is funny. There are some funny girls out there.”

All of those would be amazing choices, and the duo of McCarthy and Wiig even have box office cred together after Bridesmaids. But Cardellini, best known for ER and the Scooby-Doo movies, is a surprise choice and an inspired one. McCarthy seemed flattered and a little taken aback at Murray's idea...

McCarthy: "Oh, my God, that’s daunting. That’s taking on a legend, a legendary movie. But I would do anything with those ladies, anything at all.”

She made clear that nobody has approached her about it, and basically this is just Murray riffing on the idea because he was asked. Chances are Sony and Feig are already looking at these ladies, anyway. Well, except for Cardellini who is a little under the radar but hopefully Murray's seal of approval will change that. [SchmoesKnow]

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Review: 'Tammy' Starring Melissa McCarthy and Susan Sarandon

In the few years since Bridesmaids catapulted her to stardom with a surprising Best Supporting Actress nomination, Melissa McCarthy has made the absolute best of it. Always a funny and talented actress relegated to supporting roles, she's now having projects designed specifically for her and they've all been huge hits thus far. But Tammy is her first chance to indulge in a true passion project, one she's been developing for years with her co-writer and director husband, Ben Falcone. Essentially a road movie it gives McCarthy the chance to do pretty much the exact same thing she's been doing in exactly the same way, and it makes one wonder why this was such a big deal project for her in the first place.

Maybe a good place to start is the titular character, a lumbering tangled mess of sorrow and rage, like so much of what McCarthy has done before. Was there not even a hint of desire to do something....new? Different? Tammy is suffering one of those abysmal days that often launch this type of comedy of the spirit, one we know will end with insights and epiphanies galore. Having lost her terrible job at a fast food joint (Falcone plays her overbearing boss) because she was late after hitting a deer in the road and totaling the car, Tammy comes home to find her husband (Nat Faxon) having an affair with the neighbor (Toni Collette, given zero to do). Basically everything that can go wrong does can wrong, so trudging over to her parents' (Allison Janney and Dan Akroyd) home, which is like one door down and was probably meant to be a joke but isn't funny, Tammy just wants to get out of town. Fortunately, so does her boozing grandmother Pearl (Susan Sarandon), and with a wad of cash and grandma's car they decide to hit the road for a journey both literal and emotional.

By this point Tammy has probably fallen flat on her face, crashed into something, or caused some sort of wreckage at least a dozen times until it becomes obvious this is the extent of the humor, and it grows tiresome very fast. Maybe it's the relative inexperience of Falcone as a director and the pair as writers but they do a terrible job of sketching out Tammy's world and the relationships she shares. What they do is portray Tammy as something of a half-wit who hasn't heard of Mark Twain and lacks any shred of social grace. She's mean, aggressive, and generally disagreeable to the point that it's hard to feel anything for her, and the script isn't crafted well enough to change our perception of Tammy no matter how hard it tries. So what we get is essentially lip service to a troubled upbringing, and some brief altercations with Pearl that hint at something deeper. But there's no commitment to any of it, in favor of getting to the next ridiculous set piece where McCarthy can pull whatever stunt she can think of. She's a funny lady but with only Sarandon to play off of you can sense McCarthy struggling to come up with something to do that might get a laugh. So we get numerous overlong and laugh-free scenes where McCarthy labors to kill time: one in which she sings nearly all of the Allman Brothers' "Midnight Rider", and another where she dances unprovoked to hip-hop because....well, that's never really made clear. It just kind of happens. That's probably the best way to sum up Tammy as a whole: it just kind of happens.

By the time a love interest is introduced (played by the utterly wasted Mark Duplass), it feels like an afterthought and considering his character's lack of personality it probably was. We're at a loss to figure out what Tammy's drive or motivation is meant to be, and any lessons learned only come when, you guessed it, after the slovenly Tammy gets a physical makeover. Even as she gets some hard words of wisdom from her lesbian aunt (Kathy Bates), it never really registers as meaningful because Tammy just goes on doing what she's been doing, which makes us wonder what this was about other than lazy and predictable slapstick. If you guessed there might be a stint in jail for Tammy at one point then you are a winner!

So what was the draw for McCarthy to do a movie like Tammy in the first place? Obviously there's an appeal to developing her own movie when Hollywood isn't always so forthcoming, but there's a real missed opportunity here for McCarthy to show what she's really capable of. 

Rating: 1.5 out of 5

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First Trailer for 'St. Vincent' Starring Bill Murray, Melissa McCarthy, and Naomi Watts

Although his characters tend to be a little salty and rough around the edges, Bill Murray makes for one heck of a father figure. See one of his early notable films in Meatballs, and of course there's also Wes Anderson's Rushmore. And if you want to stretch the idea a little further, maybe in a slightly creepy way, there's also Lost in Translation where he was more than happy to look out for Scarlett Johansson. The point being, this is the type of character Murray gets called on to play often, and he's set to do so again this fall in the star-studded comedy, St. Vincent.

Written and directed by Ted Melfi and co-starring Melissa McCarthy, Naomi Watts, and Chris O'Dowd, a cast that would make any other filmmaker jealous, the film centers on Murray as the title character who clearly is no saint. He's a curmudgeonly old retiree with a thing for liquor and gambling, and upon learning that his bank account is in the negative, he agrees to watch over 12-year-old Oliver (Jaeden Lieberher) for his neighbor (McCarthy), a single mother working long hours. Of course the male bonding over questionable afterschool activities ensues, like hitting the race track and the strip club. Van Nuys also introduces him to a pregnant stripper (Watts) while helping the boy to grow up and become a man because that's what these movies do. Watch out, things could get quite huggable and full of hopeful messages.

Some are eying this as a possible return to the Oscar race for Murray, his first since Lost in Translation and after getting snubbed for Hyde Park On Hudson. St. Vincent opens in theaters on October 24th.

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Free Advance Screening of 'Tammy' Starring Melissa McCarthy

After winning over audiences in Bridesmaids, Identity Thief, and The Heat, Melissa McCarthy is back with Tammy, her craziest comedy yet. Also starring Susan Sarandon, the film follows Tammy as she goes a little nuts after losing her job, totaling her car, and finding her husband sleeping with the neighbor. With her grandma ridin' shotgun, Tammy decides to hit the road and see what the world has to offer. We're happy to offer our readers the chance to attend a free advance screening of Tammy, held on Monday, June 30th at 7:00pm at AMC Mazza Gallerie.

To attend, you simply need to go here and download two passes for the event. We have a limited amount available for our readers and once these passes are gone that's it. We do ask that you be considerate and not download more than two in order to make sure as many can attend as possible. Please remember that having passes does not guarantee entry and you will want to arrive at the screening at least 60 minutes early.

Anyway, we hope you enjoy the film and be sure to head over to the Punch Drunk Critics Facebook page and share your thoughts! Tammy opens in theaters on July 2nd.

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New Trailer for Melissa McCarthy's 'Tammy'

Bridesmaids may have been the start of Melissa McCarthy's meteoric rise but she's maintained it with a pair of blockbuster comedies, Identity Thief and The Heat. That success opened the door for her to reunite with her husband Ben Falcone (he was the air marshall in Bridesmaids) for Tammy, a comedy they co-wrote and he will make his directorial debut on.

A new trailer for Tammy has been released and it's McCarthy right in her comfort zone of playing uncontrollable, unhinged characters. Co-starring Susan Sarandon, Mark Duplass, Allison Janney, Dan Akroyd, Nat Faxon, and Toni Collette, the film follows a woman whose life is ruined all at once, and decides to hit the road with her foul-mouthed, alcoholic grandmother.

There aren't many comedic stars who can compete against the summer tentpoles but McCarthy has proven to be one. Tammy will open on July 2nd.

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First Trailer and Poster for Melissa McCarthy's Road Trip Comedy, 'Tammy'

At this point, Melissa McCarthy may be the most untouchable actress in Hollywood. Last year saw her star in Identity Thief and The Heat,  two comedies with mediocre reviews that audiences ate up with a spoon. The people love her and will probably continue to support her every move, and that will no doubt include her latest wild comedy, Tammy.

A passion project McCarthy co-wrote with her director husband, Ben Falcone, Tammy follows a woman who believes she's living the perfect life until she loses her job on the same day her husband is caught cheating. Susan Sarandon plays her alcoholic grandmother who tags along as Tammy sets off on a life-changing road trip. You won't see any of that in this first trailer, though, which is basically just a chance for McCarthy to act a fool to Coolio's 'Gangsta's Paradise'. While we're at it, can we call a moratorium on unhip people goin' hard to gangsta rap? Thanks. Its time has been over since Office Space.

Tammy hits theaters on July 2nd.


TAMMY - Teaser Trailer by dmagianet

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First Look at Melissa McCarthy and Susan Sarandon in 'Tammy'

The breakout success of Melissa McCarthy in Bridesmaids opened up a wealth of opportunities for her, including the chance to take on a pet project, Tammy. McCarthy co-wrote the script with her husband Ben Falcone, who also serves as director, and the film also stars Susan Sarandon, Allison Janney, Mark Duplass, Gary Cole, Toni Collette, Kathy Bates, Nat Faxon, and Dan Akroyd.

USA Today has released the first image of McCarthy and Sarandon, in the film about a woman having the worst day of her life. She's lost her job, her husband's just been caught cheating, and so she tries to get the heck out of town. The only problem is she has no money and no car, but her grandmother pearl does, and they book it on a road trip to Niagara Falls. It looks like, for once, McCarthy may not be the crazy one in this scenario.

Tammy opens on July 2nd 2014.

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It's a 'Bridesmaids' Reunion as Rose Byrne Joins Melissa McCarthy in Paul Feig's 'Susan Cooper'

We're probably never going to get a Bridesmaids sequel (*sniffle*), but we can still get a reunion of its amazingly talented female cast, and its decidedly male director. A few months ago Melissa McCarthy took the starring role in Susan Cooper, a new spy comedy from Bridesmaids director Paul Feig, and while we haven't heard much since, it just got a little bit better now that Rose Byrne is in early talks to co-star.

Designed as a potential franchise, the film centers on a female super spy similar to James Bond, but with a tone that resembles McCarthy's hit buddy comedy, The Heat. Feig, who will write the script and produce, has spoken often about a desire to develop more female-led films, and was attached to direct a new Bridget Jones' Diary movie before that fell through.

Byrne has been on an absolute roll ever since the nearly $300M Bridesmaids haul, and this year alone she's starred in The Internship, The Place Beyond the Pines, Insidious Chapter 2, and the romantic comedy I Give It A Year. Filming on Susan Cooper will take place between seasons of McCarthy's (terrible) CBS comedy Mike & Molly. [TheWrap]

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Melissa McCarthy and Paul Feig Together Again for 'Susan Cooper'

For obvious reasons, Melissa McCarthy and Paul Feig are in no hurry to quit one another. Their success with Bridesmaids and this year's The Heat has them looking for more ways to keep working together, and now it sounds like they'll reunite for a project that Feig is hoping will develop into a franchise.

McCarthy has taken the lead role in Susan Cooper, a spy flick Feig began discussing just last month. Essentially it's aim is to be a "realistic" female-driven James Bond film, inspired by Feig's love of Casino Royale. While it doesn't exactly sound like a natural fit for McCarthy, Feig has been pretty good at bringing out the best in her.

We haven't heard much about another project the two are collaborating on, the "unconventional love story" Dumb Jock that may co-star Jon Hamm. Hopefully that one is still alive and kicking, because it sounds like there could be some trouble rounding up a sequel to The Heat.

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First clip from 'The Heat' with Melissa McCarthy and Sandra Bullock

If the success of Identity Thief proved anything it's that audiences love Melissa McCarthy so much they'll go see her regardless of the reviews. Fox is banking on that loyalty to continue this summer with The Heat, a new buddy cop comedy that pairs McCarthy up with Sandra Bullock.

The first clip from the film has arrived courtesy of MTV, and it's basically an expanded look at a scene heavily featured in the previous trailers. McCarthy again shows off her loud, uncouth side as a Boston detective who must team up with Bullock's straight-laced FBI agent to take down a drug lord. The plot seems inconsequential for the most part, and just serves as a chance to show these two funny ladies in a string of physical gags.

McCarthy reteams with her Bridesmaids director Paul Feig for The Heat on June 28th.

Get More: Movie Trailers, Movies Blog

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Melissa McCarthy to star opposite Bill Murray in 'St. Vincent De Van Nuys'

Can we just go ahead and say that Melissa McCarthy has indeed arrived? After her Oscar-nominated turn in Bridesmaids, she took on her first real lead in Identity Thief. The result is that it's currently the year's top-grossing film, easily surpassing $100M with plenty of gas left in the tank. Chances are she'll do just as well when buddy cop comedy The Heat arrives this summer.

She's reached the point that when she campaigns hard for a role, she's probably going to get it. Deadline reports that McCarthy pushed for a role opposite Bill Murray in St. Vincent De Van Nuys, and it looks like she's going to get it. She'll receive an offer to join the Ted Melfi written/directed film, beating out a number of comedic actresses who fought for the part just as hard as she did.

So what's the big deal? The film was announced last year when Murray came aboard, and it's being described as similar in tone to Silver Linings Playbook and As Good As it Gets. Murray plays a cantankerous, hard-drinking, hard-living neighbor who takes under his wing the 12-year old son of a busy single-mother played by McCarthy.

Filming begins in July, which gives her plenty of time to complete her co-directing debut alongside her husband Ben Falcone in Tammy.

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Melissa McCarthy and her husband Ben Falcone to co-direct 'Tammy'

Whether Identity Thief turns out to be a hit or not, and I certainly have my opinion on if it should be, there's no denying that Melissa McCarthy has laid out a plan for herself that coincides with Hollywood's desire to turn her into an A-list star. Following her Bridesmaids breakout, she became attached to a number of projects, but at the same time began developing her own. One of the first right out of the gate was Tammy, a pet project that has been languishing for awhile.

THR reports that McCarthy and her husband Ben Falcone (he was the Air Marshall in Bridesmaids and cameos in Identity Thief) are in talks to co-direct Tammy. They've had no luck securing a director for the film previously, with Tate Taylor (The Help) and Beth McCarthy-Miller set at different stages, so this is probably the wisest course of action to just get things moving. McCarthy and Falcone wrote the script, which follows a fast food employee who loses her husband and her job, then decides to take a road trip to Mt. Rushmore with her hard-drinking grandma. Shirley MacLaine had been rumored to co-star at one point.

In addition, McCarthy and Falcone's production company has three projects on the way. The first is Michelle Darnell, already picked up by Universal, which is based on an original character created by McCarthy.  They will write the script alongside The Groundlings' Steve Mallory. Universal has also taken Cousin Irv from Mars, based on cartoonist Bruce Eric Caplan's book about a boy and his cousin who is from Mars. Lastly, they will produce an adaptation of Douglas Brown's self-help book Just Do It: How One Couple Turned Off the TV and Turned On Their Sex Lives For 101 Days (No Excuses!)

Suffice it to say, those who are already sick of McCarthy are going to have a rough few years.  I think she's one of the most talented comediennes around, and this is a good way for her to avoid being pigeon-holed.

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New red band trailer for 'The Heat' with Sandra Bullock and Melissa McCarthy

We're going to be seeing an awful lot of Melissa McCarthy in the coming months, with the Bridesmaids stand-out(who is still slummin' on Mike & Molly for some reason) appearing in Judd Apatow's This is 40, Identity Thief with Jason Bateman, and finally The Heat opposite Sandra Bullock, which we now have a new red band trailer for.

There isn't anything all that different about this cut of the trailer, which is unfortunate because the first one didn't inspire a lot of confidence. McCarthy plays a brash, loud-mouthed Boston cop who partners up with Bullock's straight-laced FBI agent for some reason, making for an oil 'n water combination that presumably should lead to some laughs. So far I don't see it, but maybe the end results will be better? There's too much talent for it to be a total drag.

Directed by Paul Feig, The Heat arrives on April 15th 2013.[IGN]

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New trailer for 'Identity Thief' with Jason Bateman and Melissa McCarthy

"She's like a hobbit. I'm going after Bilbo". Well, I guess it can't hurt to tie-in to the top grossing movie of the week, but everything else about the trailer for Identity Thief looks pretty average. Melissa McCarthy doing Kelis' 'Milkshake' in the passenger seat? Meh. She deserves better, and since she didn't get hardly anything to do in Judd Apatow's This is 40, hopefully Identity Thief's best gags are being held back.

Sporting a huge head of hair, McCarthy plays Diana, a criminal down in Florida who has stolen the identity of Sandy Bigelow Patterson, using his accounts to go on a whirlwind shopping spree. To save his good name and credit, Sandy travels across country to track her down, only to run into trouble trying to drag her all the way back to Denver. There are a couple of decent laughs and zingers, like when McCarthy tries unsuccessfully to run away only to be chased down easily, but in general this looks like a conventional road trip comedy. Ok, the bit with her and Modern Family's Eric Stonestreet is kinda great.

Directed by Seth Gordon(Horrible Bosses) and co-starring Amanda Peet, T.I. Harris, Genesis Rodriguez, Morris Chestnut, John Cho, and Robert Patrick, Identity Thief opens on February 8th 2013.

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