It has been one helluva summer for R-rated comedies with some big successes (“The Hangover Part II,” “Bridesmaids,” “Horrible Bosses“) and some notable misses (“The Change-Up,” “30 Minutes Or Less“) and Jason Bateman has been on the receiving end of both. He was part of the ensemble who off their employers in ‘Bosses’ but opposite Ryan Reynolds, the duo couldn’t compel audiences to come out to their bawdy body switching comedy. But Bateman is a savvy, smart guy who has certainly been around the industry for a long time, and now ready to move into producing, he has smartly snagged one of the season’s biggest breakout stars to co-star with him in yet another high concept laffer.
Melissa McCarthy — who walked away with pretty much every scene she had in “Bridesmaids” — will team with Bateman for “ID Theft” which he will also produce. Penned by Steve Conrad (“The Pursuit Of Happyness,” “The Weather Man“) with Craig Mazin (“The Hangover Part II & III” — told you Bateman was savvy) doing a rewrite, the premise originally centered on two men, one who steals the identity of the other. But once Bateman saw McCarthy’s comedic chops, he championed her for the role of the identity thief, and we’re definitely digging the concept already.
This adds yet another big post-“Bridesmaids” gig to McCarthy’s plate as she’s got a part in Judd Apatow‘s “Knocked Up” spinoff and another vehicle being developed by Paul Feig which would find her co-starring with Jon Hamm. But before she gets to work on “ID Theft” she will be returning to CBS for another season of “Mike & Molly” with the comedy flick expected to be her first hiatus project, shooting in April 2012. No word yet on who will direct. [Deadline]
