Zac Efron andWill Ferrellwill star together in a new comedy from the director ofNeighbors(2014). Ferrell continues to be one of the biggest names in the world of comedy, and he is best known for films likeElf(2004),Anchorman: The Legend of Ron Burgundy(2004), andStep Brothers(2008). Ferrell most recently starred inPrime Video comedyYou’re Cordially Invitedopposite Reese Witherspoon, but he also voiced Maxime in last year’sDespicable Me 4.
THRnow reports thatEfron has joined Ferrell in an untitled comedy film from Amazon MGM Studios.Nicholas Stoller wrote the script, which was once calledJudgment Day, and will direct, marking another collaboration between him and Ferrell afterYou’re Cordially Invited, which Stoller also directed. The film is currently in development and doesn’t yet have a release date or expected production start date. It will mark the third collaboration for Efron and Stoller afterNeighborsand its sequel. The logline for the movie is included below:
The story follows a young convict [played by Efron] fresh out of prison who takes a reality TV courtroom hostage, blaming the megalomaniac TV judge, played by Ferrell, for a past ruling that the convict feels ruined his life.
What The New Comedy Means For Will Ferrell & Zac Efron
Stoller Has An Impressive Comedy Filmography
You’re Cordially Invitedreviews have been mixed from critics, and the film currently has a 46% score onRotten Tomatoes. The audience score is even lower at only 36%. Previous Stoller films, however, have fared much better with critics, with highlights includingForgetting Sarah Marshall(2008),Get Him to the Greek(2010), andThe Five-Year Engagement(2012). BothNeighborsmovies were also generally well-received.
Will Ferrell’s 10 Funniest Characters, Ranked
Will Ferrell is one of his generation’s most popular comedic actors, and his funniest characters have kept fans laughing for a long time.
The new comedy, then, is seemingly in good hands. The film will serve in another in a long line of comedies for Ferrell, but Efron has recently been exploring a range of other genres. Efron, for example, recently starred in theintensely dramaticThe Iron Claw, as well asThe Greatest Beer Run Ever(2022), a period war film, andFirestarter(2020), a horror movie. Stoller’s next movie will serve as the first time Ferrell and Efron have worked together.
Another Standout Ferrell Character Could Be On The Way
Even thoughYou’re Cordially Invitedmay not have totally struck a chord with audiences, Stoller has previously directed a number of comedies that managed to deliver plenty of laughs while also offering up strong emotional storylines. The premise for Stoller’s new movie makes clear that it’s not a romantic comedy, meaning it may not have the emotion of films likeForgetting Sarah MarshallorThe Five-Year Engagement, butStoller clearly has an ability to ensure that there is character depth behind the laughs.
Stoller also recently directed thewell-reviewedBros, which was the first gay romantic comedy from a major studio.
The role of an over-the-top reality TV show judge sounds like a perfect character for Ferrell’s comedic sensibilities, and it will hopefully give him the opportunity to deliver plenty of the kinds of wacky moments he has become known for. With Efron playing the convict character, the upcoming comedy already has the ingredients for success. It’s possible that more casting announcements for the movie aren’t far off.
