Backing up that assumption comes news that Kristen Wiig is being eyed to play a love interest — for mentally-disabled weatherman Brick Tamland. The deal hasn’t been finalized yet, but Wiig would crush in that role. Although we’re horrified to see what Wiig will bring to the table. How does one top this:

(The Wrap)

The two Anchorman co-stars will be getting back together in Swear to God, a film that follows a hedge fund manager (Ferrell) after he swears that he has seen God. Carell’s role isn’t specified in so many words, but he’s gonna be really funny, ok? So just don’t worry about it right now.

The script, which was originally penned by the duo behind Due Date (boooo!) will be rewritten by actor/writer/Aniston boyfriend Justin Theroux, who has cut his teeth writing Tropic Thunder and Iron Man 2, so get excited.

This news is bittersweet, knowing that Theroux has written Zoolander 2 (with the hopes of directing it). However, if it’s going to sit on the shelf at the expense of something else, at least that something else is a Will Ferrell/Steve Carell comedy.

One (1) winner will receive:

·        $25 Fandango Gift card
·        Official Soundtrack (CD)
·        T-Shirt
·        Tote Bag
·        Lip Balm
·        Shot Glass
·        Glow Stick & Bracelet
·        Key Chain

One (1) additional winner will receive:

·        Official Soundtrack (CD) 
·        T-shirt
·        Tote Bag
·        Lip Balm
·        Shot Glass
·        Key Chain
·        Glow Stick & Bracelet

Prize pack with Fandango value $71.99
Prize pack value $46.99
Prizing provided by Focus Features

So, without further delay, here’s the pic. Leave your caption in the comment below, make it funny, and walk away with the grand prize! Also, be sure to check out the trailer.

Will the Colts thrive under Luck? Will Peyton be able to muster his career in its twilight years? Scenarios like this don’t just happen in sports, but also in entertainment, where properties and franchises are held together by actors who, for one reason or another, take leave and move on.

As you’ll see below, the results are a mixed bag. Sometimes franchises improve, sometimes they flounder, and sometimes they just gently fade away. Take a look.

Steve Carell – The Office

The question of whether or not Carell left the office because it had started to suck or if the show started to suck when he was gone is one that I won’t address here, because I didn’t watch the later episodes during his tenure. But it’s clear that his demise has hastened the decline of the show regardless.

While the gimmicky casting of James Spader made for interesting copy and kept all eyes on the show, perhaps people didn’t realize just how integral Steve was to the show. Sure, the supporting characters were able to hold their own, but the show needed a star more than most people realize, and someone like James Spader or even the competent ensemble can’t fill that void.

The fate of The Office is up in the air after Carell’s first year away, but if it does carry on, I would expect it to end with a bang, and not a whimper.

Matt Damon – The Bourne Series

The problem with hiring (or even creating) a big star with your franchise is that it affords them big opportunities outside of the franchise. Most actors want to take the goodwill they create with one role and parlay it into much more. For instance, Matt Damon was in a bit of a slump when he signed on to play Jason Bourne in The Bourne Identity. However, the Jason Bourne character made Damon as close to an action-hero icon as the world has right now.

Damon has used that goodwill to star in both independent and large-scale films, eventually walking away from the Bourne series after The Bourne Supremacy. However, new blood was eagerly anticipated by both the producers and audiences, so the role became one of the most coveted in Hollywood, eventually going to Jeremy Renner.

With Edward Norton playing the villain in The Bourne Legacy, I would be very surprised if this film didn’t succeed on a larger scale than the Damon ones.

Steve Carell stars as a sadsack who befriends Keira Knightley, instead of just hitting the orgy scene with her. The two make a pact to help one another reunite with loved ones before the major impact event, but find the time to road trip across a crazy brains version of America in the meantime. It’s a fun premise that looks charming. You know except for everyone dying horribly.

There’s no word yet on which role Carrey would play, but don’t be surprised to see him pulling scarf after scarf out of his butt. (Deadline)

There’s no word yet on casting the ill-fated wrestler David Schultz, but he does strike a remarkable resemblance to John C. Reilly. If I thought it were safe to put he and Carell in a film together without it devolving into silly voices, I’d say he’s perfect for the part. But alas. Just get the Rock. (Variety)

Just Like Heaven (2005)

I watched this film while on a cruise with a girl who had come down with seasickness. As it turns out, the sound of her violently retching was the perfect background to this Reese Witherspoon turd. It has the same plot as the Bill Cosby bomb Ghost Dad, with about half of the laughs. Considering I laughed exactly once at Ghost Dad, that doesn’t say much for Just Like Heaven.

The Beautician and the Beast (1997)

When a sassy beautician travels to a far away county to work for a ruthless dictator, only one thing can happen: genital electrocution followed by a swift beheading. At least that’s what would happen in real life. In Hollywood, the two fall in love. Poor Fran Drescher. She could never step out from the shadow of her most memorable role: the reporter chick in UHF.

Alex & Emma (2003)

Rob Reiner is a huge anti-smoking advocate, yet he has no problem unleashing pollution like Alex & Emma onto the unsuspecting public. The film involves an author (Luke Wilson), a stenographer (Kate Hudson), and the Cuban Mafia. If that doesn’t excite you, it’s also worth noting that Kate Hudson plays three different roles, each with its own wacky accent. Sigh.

Something’s Gotta Give (2003)

In Something’s Gotta Give, Keanu Reeves‘s character falls in love with a woman played by Diane Keaton. Yeah, you read that right. I don’t care what Sex in the City says, there’s not a snowball’s chance in hell of that happening. A guy in his 30′s falling for a woman in her 50′s is about as likely as Lance Bass falling in love with a girl. Speaking of which…

On the Line (2001)

The plot of On the Line revolves around a shy guy (Lance Bass) who meets the girl of his dreams on a train, but doesn’t have the stones to ask her out. He then goes to great lengths to track her down, and wackiness ensues. Actually, replace the word wackiness with awfulness, and you’re right on target. This film also stars Joey Fatone, which only adds to the overpowering shittness. The only thing that saves this film from being number one on the list is the fact that Bass has since come out of the closet, so watching him pretend to be interested in a woman is unintentionally hysterical.

‘Crazy Stupid Love’ Looks Neither Crazy Nor Stupid

Right away the humor speaks to really important issues. Cal (Steve Carell) refuses to talk when his wife Emily (Julianne Moore) asks for a divorce. It’s funny when he rolls out of a moving car, but he’s also really avoiding something with which he needs to deal. Then we meet Jacob (Ryan Gosling) picking up babes in a bar. His swagger is good enough but not so great that I’m jealous of his lines. That’s Mr. Notebook for you. And he still eats pizza, even with his Adonis body.

6 photosEmma Stone

Jacob takes an interest in Cal out of sympathy. It’s Swingers meets Training Day when he shows Cal the ropes. The clubs are almost too loud to hear the dialogue, so the film is honest about even its locations. When Cal tries what Jacob taught him, it is too mean. That’s real. I did that. You learn The Mystery Method but if it’s not natural then you’re just insulting someone. The Hollywood twist is that he wins over Kate (Marisa Tomei) by being himself.

The story involves the whole family. Cal and Emily’s son Robbie (Jonah Bobo) gets to be funny, starring down Emily’s new boyfriend David Lindhagen (Kevin Bacon.) Cal really talks to Robbie, and to Emily. I really love Jessica (Analeigh Tipton). This poor teenage babysitter is struggling to express herself but she’s so genuine and sweet. She makes some scandalous choices but it’s innocent and real. She’s also 13-year-old Robbie’s dream girl, and we’ve all been there.

There’s some real filmmaking going on in this too. Cal’s evolution with the ladies is shown in a tracking shot where Cal appears at a different table with different women without ever cutting. That’s an artistically sound use of visual effects. Directors Glenn Ficarra and John Requa let a door open on Jessica and the light overexposes her. The love scene lighting is beautiful with a gentle camera.

Dan Fogelman’s screenplay knows when to shift focus, giving one thread a moment to simmer. After a blowout between Cal and Emily, Hannah (Emma Stone) finds her way to Jacob and it’s their story for a while. The ensemble intermingles organically. Funny dialogue still has emotional ramifications. The film never takes the easy way out with a misunderstanding fueling some empty doubletalk. Misunderstandings just bring the forces together but the film plays fair. They’re even smart about the rain cliché.

There is a moment where the wisdom of a child provokes a big speech from the parent, but they earned it. There’s still no easy fix. I can’t believe a studio film allowed so much ambiguity. Most of all, Robbie’s graduation gift is so daring I can’t believe Warner Brothers allowed it. I mean, it could seem inappropriate but not once you’ve spent time with these characters.

Needless to say, this is quite the coup for the oft-enigmatic director, whose last effort, Synecdoche, NY, was divisive to say the least. More specifically, tons of people hated it. In keeping with Kaufman’s weirdness, no details about the project have been given, save for the fact that production will start in 2012, per Deadline.

This project represents the latest efforts of Carell and Black to distance themselves from their slapsticky origins and branch out into more serious, and in this case, weirder fare. Lucky for them, it’s hard to get much weirded than Charlie Kaufman.

6 photosCody Horn

She also revealed she knows who Steve Carell‘s replacement is, but isn’t allowed to say. If she’s sure that nothing will change her mind, I’ll put my nipple away. But only if she’s sure.

Carell hasn’t committed to the film, but it’s being developed as a vehicle for him, which means that his participation is close to a foregone conclusion. To add to the mystery of the premise, the project is being written by Phil Alden Robinson who is known for Field of Dream and the Sum of All Fears.

Huh.

So it’s a film starring Carell that has elements of a rom-com and a crime comedy that is being scripted by a guy who’s largely known for his work on a baseball drama and a panned film about a nuclear explosion with political repercussions. Okay then. (Variety)

Wonderstone starring Steve Carell as an aging magician, was originally written by Chad Kultgen and then polished by Horrible Bosses scribes John Francis Daley and Jonathan Goldstein. The addition of Reitman is exciting but also could speak to the tone of the film. Seems like this one might dip into heartfelt drama and go less in the direction of Steve Carell mistakenly puts on top hat with rabbit poop in it. (THR)

7 photosZoe Kravitz

Imagine comes from the pen of screenwriter Dan Fogelman (Tangled), who’ll make his directing debut with this project. Fogelman is currently on fire, in the NBA Jam sense. He wrote July’s Crazy, Stupid, Love starring Steve Carell, who dropped out of Imagine due to scheduling conflicts. He also wrote the upcoming My Mother’s Curse starring Barbra Streisand and Seth Rogen. (LA Times)

5 photosPeep Out ‘Mr. Popper’s Penguins’ Pics

“We’re talking about maybe returning to some old characters that everyone has been asking about,” on which Carrey elaborated, ”…There’s Bruce Almighty and we’re talking about maybe another Dumb and Dumber.”

What? He’s not doing another Majestic? Aw, man. Well, it’d be fun to catch up with Harold and Lloyd, and I’m guessing The Farrelly Brothers have been praying night and day for the dumberer stars of that potential hit to align. As for Bruce Almighty, the Steve Carell sequel Evan Almighty was a big budget disappointment. Are people really excited to return to the franchise? I’d just assume pack my memories of those movies on an arc and let them drift peacefully off into the ocean. (ComingSoon.net)

While Carell’s involvement is the biggest asset this project has, the producers have just announced their director in Don Scardino, whose most notable recent work has been helming episodes of”30 Rock.” It’s Scardino’s feature debut, but his work on “30 Rock” has all arrows pointing to “hilarious.”

Watch The Trailer For ‘Horrible Bosses’ While Your Boss Is Gone

Finally, the writing team behind Burt Wonderstone consists of John Francis Daley and Jonathan Goldstein, the duo behind the upcoming Horrible Bosses, which appears to be one of the year’s most promising comedies.

In summation: Carell, “30 Rock” director, hilarious writers, and a premise that features many goofy magicians. What’s not to like?

Last night was the much-hyped “Office” season closer, which featured cameos by Jim Carrey, Will Arnett, Gervais himself (via webcam) and oddly enough, Warren Buffett. I guess when Steve Carell leaves your show, you need to plug that celebrity sized hole in your sitcom boat. Catherine Tate (“Dr. Who“) is the current favorite among the producers as a replacement.

Gervais had many critical things to say about the American version of his hit show, because if there’s one thing Gervais shies away from, it’s controversies stemmed from freely speaking his opinions:

“I assume most people know I didn’t do the US remake for the art. I did my version for the art. That’s why I stopped it after a few hours of telly,” Gervais wrote. “Don’t get me wrong. I’m very proud of the US version. It was not only a very very good network comedy but it was also a massive success story. But you know, I did it for different reasons, ambitions and with slightly different emotional attachments to the project.”

Gervais referring to the show in the past tense is interesting. “It was not only…” Well, once you jump a shark, you can’t un-jump it. Third Law of Shark Jumping Physics. (Hollywood Reporter)

“[T]he film … explores what people do when humanity’s last days are at hand and whether Carell’s character can find love at the worst possible time.”

I dunno if it’s really the WORST possible time to find love. If the world’s about to end, no pressure to meet her parents. Anyway, no word yet on who these people are going to play — maybe half of them will be demons and the other half angels? Probably not, though. (Variety)

The plot involves an asteroid heading to earth, Keira Knightley and Carell on a journey to find Carell’s lost love before the world is destroyed, and a waitress they meet who’s tweaked out on ecstasy – which is where Jacobs comes in. Hopefully she won’t do the real drug while filming, because the “Fresh Prince” handshake is tricky to do on E. You know isn’t tricky, though? Getting a nice backrub.

Shooting for End of the World has already begun. The cast also includes Adam Brody and Rob Corddry. (Hollywood Reporter)

The romance film within a disaster film Seeking a Friend for the End of the World focuses on Steve Carell and Keira Knightley as they await an asteroid to come barreling into the earth. The good-time project doesn’t explicitly state what roles the newcomers will have, only that they will be on board, with Petersen committed and Brody and Corddry in negotiations.

Brody is currently posted up in box offices in Scream 4, while Corddry was last seen in the comedy Cedar Rapids. Petersen, who hasn’t had too high a profile since his departure from “CSI,” will be appearing in Tony Kaye’s drama Detachment, which recently premiered at the Tribeca film festival.

While the plot details are outlined in our earlier preview of the film (available here), it’s still not clear exactly if the film will be as bleak as the premise would lead us to believe. Does Petersen’s weighty involvement cancel out Corddry’s? It’s certainly not going to be along the lines of Old School, but are we dealing with another Seven Pounds here?

In any event, that meteor is coming. The only question left is how these folks are gonna deal with it. (Variety)

“It becomes apparent that as bad a boss as Michael Scott seemed at times, my character is 10 times worse,” Ferrell said on Friday at a press conference for his upcoming film Everything Must Go. “He’s a terrible salesperson and he’s oddly conceited at times.”

There are certainly lots of fans who would have liked to see Rainn Wilson take the lead. Dwight fans will get a taste of what a Wilson-starring “The Office” might be like. “There’s an episode coming up very soon called ‘Dwight K. Schrute, Acting Manager,’” Wilson said at his press junket for the movie Hesher. “For one episode, Dwight gets to be manager and it’s very funny. He does have a pet piranha in his office.”

Wilson said he shot scenes with guest star James Spader, but was not involved with any of Jim Carrey’s scenes. He is meeting with the writers to discuss next season though. “Now we’ve just got to figure out what season eight’s all about,” Wilson said. “I’m actually going in later this week to meet with the writers and try to talk to them about it. It’s really mostly up to them but I’ll put in my two cents and see where they’re at and stuff like that.”

As Ferrell departs his month-long legacy at Dunder Mifflin, he’s happy to see what Carrey and Spader will do in his place. “I think it’s great,” Ferrell said. “I think it’s really a credit to Steve that everyone wants to be a part of this storytelling. I thought the episode last night [April 28] was so well done. That was the show at its best in terms of being funny, being poignant. I think he’s been nominated every year for an Emmy and hasn’t won it. If he doesn’t win this year, it’s kind of a travesty. But if I win, it would be less. I hope he wins. He really should. He’s so good.”

“The Office” airs Thursday nights on NBC.

It’s sad to see him go but it’s important we all put on a brave face and show him what big boys and girls we can be. No crying. And if any of us do, let’s pretend that we got stung by a hornet. Just a really fast one that moved too fast for everyone to see because it is so fast, you see. One of those super hornets. I think it migrated up here from Mexico. (NBC)

Great Scott! Links!

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Local Smokeshow Of The Day (BarstoolSports)

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The 13 Craziest Deaths Caused By Social Media (Ranker)

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Homemade Portal Gun (GameFront)

Gabriela Vegara Photos (TuVez)

Just kidding….sort of. I admire him leaving before the quality drops any further, but part of me really wants to see him run that thing into the ground, “Simpsons” style. Either way, he’s not the first to prematurely say adios to a role. Some of TV’s most popular shows have had actors walk away while the ratings were still high. Here are nine such examples.

Mike Flaherty (Michael J. Fox) – “Spin City”

In the forth season of the popular ABC sitcom, “Spin City,” producers were forced to shake change things up when the show’s star, Michael J. Fox, was diagnosed with Parkinson’s Disease. His character, Mike Flaherty, left his position as deputy mayor after taking the fall in a mafia scandal. Flaherty went on to become an environmental lobbyist in D.C., working along side Senator Alex P. Keaton, Fox’s character from “Family Ties.” He was later replaced by a new character, played by Charlie Sheen. Things ended poorly two seasons later.

Diane Chambers (Shelly Long) – “Cheers”

In the pilot episode of “Cheers,” the character of Diane Chambers is abandoned at a bar, Cheers, by her boy friend, a married man named Sumner Sloan. Devastated by the experience, she accepts a job at the bar in order to begin rebuilding her life. In the fifth season of the show, Sumner Sloan returns and offers Diane the chance to finish writing her book, “Jocasta’s Conundrum.” She ends up leaving her job and lover, Sam Malone to pursue the opportunity. The character was written out of the show at the behest of actress Shelly Long, whose decision to leave is widely considered one of the biggest blunders in television history.

Henry Blake (McLean Stevenson) – “M.A.S.H.”

When Colonel Henry Blake was discharged from the army and sent home at the end of “M.A.S.H.’s third season, viewers were probably expecting a tearful good bye. But they probably weren’t expecting to have their hearts ripped out of their chests. Writers surprised everyone by having the character killed off in a plane crash during his flight home. They did so after actor McLean Stevenson left the show. He felt his character was becoming a second fiddle to Hunnicut and Pierce.

Richie Cunningham (Ron Howard) – “Happy Days”

When Ron Howard decided to leave his role as the star of “Happy Days,” at least he had a good reason. He was launching his career as a director. But removing the main character of a show about the mid-50’s and early 60’s proved easy enough, and writers shipped his character, Richie Cunningham, off to the army.

Eric Forman (Topher Grace) – “That 70’s Show”

Eric Forman was the glue that held “That 70’s Show” together. His basement was the meeting place for all of the other characters, including his parents. So when Topher Grace decided to leave the show, it seemed like a stretch to keep the show in production. It was. After Forman left to teach in Africa, it lasted only one season.

Benjamin Stone (Michael Moriarty) – “Law and Order”

After four years on the initial “Law and Order,” District Attorney Ben Stone was written off the show, resigning his post after a key witness was murdered while under his protection. Actor Michael Moriarty claims he left the show to protest what he perceived as a government attempt to censor violence in the show. Producers told a different story, involving Moriarty’s “erratic behavior.” Either way, “Law and Order” never missed a beat, and continued for another 16 seasons.

Dr. Mark Greene (Anthony Edwards) – “ER”

Dr. Mark Greene was the first character introduced on the hit medical drama, “ER.” But after eight seasons and no end in site, actor Anthony Edwards wanted to move on. Writers decided to kill off the character with a good old-fashioned case of brain cancer. Despite the loss of such an iconic character, the show lasted another seven seasons.

Lawrence Kutner (Kal Penn) – “House”

The character of Lawrence Kutner was probably the greatest Indian-American Doctor with brutally murdered adoptive Jewish parents in the history of television. That’s why everyone was so bummed when the writers decided to kill him off via suicide. The reason they did so was because actor Kal Penn had accepted a liaison position at White House. Based on the method of his departure from the show, I’m assuming the writers were McCain supporters.

Fox Mulder (David Duchovny) – “The X Files”

“The X-Files” was a wildly popular sci-fi drama that helped bring conspiracy theories into the main stream. Agent Fox Mulder was the heart and soul of the show. After seven seasons of exploring the paranormal, actor David Duchovny walked away after contentious contract negotiations. Writers decided to tie up loose ends in a fitting manner: by having Mulder abducted by aliens. However, his character did return sporadically for the remainder of the series.

Carrey will guest star on an upcoming episode of”The Office.” In the episode, Carrey interviews for the position Steve Carrell‘s Michael Scott leaves. Is a resume with experience like “Pet Detective,” “Mask-Based Superhero” and “Christmas Present Relocation Manager” gonna land him the job as manager of a paper company? Probably not. Carrey will also have stiff competition in the episode from Ricky Gervais, Ray Romano, Catherine Tate, Will Arnett and James Spader. Sounds like this episode could use a few more celebrities. Is James Franco available?

Meanwhile, that begs the question: what’s gonna happen to Will Ferrell‘s character Deangelo Vickers (great name), who’s currently in charge? It’s a bigger office mystery than who takes more than 3 slices of pizza on Pizza Fridays, though many suspect it’s Jason. (EW)

(Click Here To See Video Of Will Ferrell’s Debut On”The Office.”)

“I definitely cried on the last day,” Krasinski said. “Wasn’t expecting it and then the last scene of the day was our goodbye of characters. We hadn’t said goodbye and so that was an incredibly existential black hole. It was like way too much happening. So there were definitely tears.”

The show has wrapped for the season but it was several weeks ago that Carell wrapped. Krasinski describes his feelings graphically. “Brutal, in no uncertain terms which I only say because it wasn’t so clear when it was happening. I think I was under the impression of my logical brain saying, ‘This is just what happens. People move on and they have contracts that expire and there’s nothing personal’. Then you realize that a huge part of your show, a huge part of your everyday life, a huge part of the energy around you every day is gone. It’s just sad to lose a friend like that. It was tough but it’s all fantastic and our energy level on set is tremendous and we all feel incredibly excited about what’s to come. Everybody was talking about a spinoff 2 ½, three years ago. This is the show sans Steve. It’s ‘The Office 2.’”

When Will Ferrell appeared last week as the new boss, Jim and Pam’s storyline had them showing off their baby a little too much for his tastes. They won’t beat that joke any further. Instead they’ll find all new ways to annoy their new boss.

“No, I think that played out in the episode, or at least was highlighted in that episode and we definitely find other relationship avenues to take.”

“The Office” airs Thursday nights at 9 on NBC.

NBC is right to promote the shit out of this, particularly since there is a concern that your average viewer might confuse this with the season finale, which is being kept separate for some reason, presumably to tease us more about who his eventual replacement will be. Expect to see lots of commercials to the effect of “THIS ISN’T THE LAST ONE, KEEP WATCHING AFTER THIS!!!” (Deadline)

Will Ferrell’s debut on The Office“ next week officially has NBC’s hype machine set to kray kray. The TV spots are airing constantly and it shouldn’t be long before he pops at the bottom of the screen during “Minute To Win It.” I also heard that NBC is planning to put a Will Ferrell android in every office across America. Except for the offices where the Will Ferrell android was designed. That would just be overkill.

Anyway, check out these clips of Will Ferrell meeting the cast to expected results.