The film, which Carell is also producing, is currently in the market for a director, as both Todd Phillips and John Crowley have come and gone as attached directors since pre-development of the 2003 novel began.

Despite an obvious pedigree in comedy stemming from his work on”The Daily Show,” Carell has cut his teeth on a number of somber projects, most notably Dan in Real Life and Little Miss Sunshine, so seeing him as a depressed widow shouldn’t be too jarring at this stage of his career. But if he was to throw in just a few wafts of his Brick Tamlin character from Anchorman, I don’t think anyone would object that much, would they? (THR)