EXCLUSIVE: Ron Howard is setting Kevin James to play Vince Vaughn’s best friend in the untitled Universal Pictures comedy about infidelity. The film is Howard’s next directing vehicle from a screenplay by Allan Loeb. Howard and Imagine partner Brian Grazer are prepping a spring start in Chicago. Kevin and Vince will play best friends and business partners, and Vaughn is tortured when he observes his pal’s wife getting intimate with another man. Should he tell? The comedy came from an idea by Grazer, who’ll produce with Vaughn and the actor’s Wild West Picture Show banner. Imagine’s Kim Roth is executive producer. The buddy system has made for a nice transition for James after his long-running TV sitcom King of Queens. He paired with Will Smith in Hitch and Adam Sandler in I Now Pronounce You Chuck and Larry. After carrying Paul Blart: Mall Cop, he re-teamed with Sandler in Grown Ups and plays the title role in the MGM comedy The Zookeeper. Scripter Loeb has been writing about all forms of cheating, with recent credits that include the card-counting drama 21, Wall Street 2: Money Never Sleeps, and now this infidelity comedy.
Kevin James To Buddy Up With Vince Vaughn In Ron Howard Comedy
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Kevin James and Vaugn, I can see…but directed by Howard? I wonder what the tone will be for this. More of James/Vaugn silly; or more Howard thoughtfully funny.
I’d see that.
So does this mean Ron isn’t moving forward on Lost Symbol?
Njames- sort of a mix. It is a good movie for Vince Vaughn to do. He gets to do his schtick, but yet has Ron Howard as director to class it up and maybe take some blame if it fails. But, Ron Howard casting Kevin James really kills it and takes it to a stupid place. Should have been someone like Phil Hoffman or Paul Giamatti. Someone that can act against Vaughn and stay with Ron Howard’s directing skills, rather than a broad comedian.
This actually sounds pretty decent.
And inevitably starring two beautiful and talented actresses as Vaughn and James’ respective spouses who would never be with either guy in real life.
Ahhhh, Hollywood. Good times.
Ron Howard would sell his cheap suit jacket for boxoffice. Look at his track record. He’s all about the money. Not an artist.
God bless him.
Thank you.
Men who are afraid they are past their prime always want to make a sex comedies.
It’s a pathetic attempt to stay what they think is relevant.
Billy Wilder did it too.
Ron Howard is putting a movie together by the numbers because he’s afraid of failure. He feels he’s lost his nose for success. They all feel that way over at Imagine. But what they’ve become is really lazy and uninspired.
Allan Loeb is completely overrated but these execs at Imagine will only hire the same five writers.
Kevin James? With all the great comic actors out there? But his mall cop movie made money.
Imagine will never manage to make a movie like “Little Miss Sunshine” because there is too much creative risk involved. They thinks it’s a formula. And if you want to make Paul Blart Mall Cop it is.
Imagine has lost its imagination.
Maybe the stupidest post I’ve ever read here. It is a formula, you idiot. And it’s a risk-averse business. Everyone you’ve mentioned here has proven that they will deliver you a finished product that will lead to money.
Amy is dead on. Imagine doesn’t run Imagine anymore. CAA does. The company has grown really lazy. Their talent pool reflects that and has no depth. It’s all about synergy and hype. Which is just allowing people to blow smoke at you so you don’t have to think very hard.
Too bad.
Amy right on. Hope everyone at Imagine reads this post. Brian, Karen, Ron you guys need to snap out of it!
Prediction: Ron Howard will consider putting a hit out on Vince Vaughn before shooting is complete.
Why? Vaughn can still put asses in seats, what does Howard bring tot he table? He’s a complete hack. An even more anodyne Rob Reiner.
Kevin James, Vince Vaughn, Ron Howard…I just yawned so hard I pulled a jaw muscle.
Ron, everyones waiting for you to do a Mayberry thing, can you have Vaughn and James be the sheriff/deputy and you act as mayor or just a plan life long resident and see where it takes you….challenge yourself….America could use some (small town , take me home) comedy.
This script would take some work,creativity and some thought compared to a friends wife cheating….that is something America can watch on reality show….time for you Ron to take some notes from Mr.Hanks and put some thought in your work.