Michael Ian Black Tagged Articles at Cinematical

Today we speak with comedian/actor/writer/director Michael Ian Black. Black's hilarious credits include MTV's The State, Comedy Central's Stella, and the cult classic Wet Hot American Summer. He's probably best known to the general public as being the standout quipper on VH1's "I Love the (Insert Decade Here)" specials. Black's latest project is Run Fatboy Run. He wrote the original screenplay for the film, which was directed by David Schwimmer and stars Simon Pegg, Hank Azaria, and Thandie Newton.

Cinematical: Would you tell our readers a bit about Run Fatboy Run?

Michael Ian Black: Sure. It's a lovely and funny romantic comedy about a guy who has never finished anything in his life who decides to run a marathon.

Cinematical: What inspired you to write the film?

MIB: I wanted to write something a little more mainstream than what I am normally known for. I had just written two screenplays that were more left of center and I wanted to challenge myself to try to write something that I thought would be a little more accessible.

Cinematical: Are you a marathon man? Why do people do this to themselves?

MIB: I've never run further than a couple miles. I have no idea why somebody would subject themselves to the agony of running for twenty-six miles. Particularly if they've got a car.

There are times when casting news is like a make-your-own-sundae. You walk up to the smorgasbord of sugar knowing what tastes good. In this case, it's when our Chris topher Campbell reported about Michael Ian Black's new film, The Ten. Then, you start piling the goodies on top of your ice cream, every one looking better than the next. In August, Martha Fischer reported that the already solid cast sporting the likes of Paul Rudd and Amanda Peet had grown to include actors such as Liev Schreiber, Gretchen Mol, and Rob Corddry. You decide that although you want twenty more toppings, your mountainous sundae will do. But then, you spot the shining cherries.

In this case, the cherry isn't a simple maraschino, but a large, juicy cherry pickled in kirsch. Justin Theroux, who has been linked to the project since the beginning, will be playing Jesus. I don't know the details, but the New York-based vignette comedy includes one that takes place in Mexico City and centers on that Chris t guy. I haven't been so excited about casting notices since Bruce Campbell's Elvis befriended Ossie Davis' JFK.

Granted, I'm biased. I, like many women, have a thing for Justin Theroux. Sure, he looks like a deliciously dirty angel, but he also picks varied parts and he's a man of all traits -- he doesn't only act, but he also paints and speaks Chinese. He's taken Kyle MacLachlan's spot as David Lynch's it-boy, and he helped Crispin Glover make Full Throttle tolerable. Forget Jeremy Sisto and James Caviezel, Justin Theroux is my personal saviour.

David Schwimmer hasn't had an easy time after Friends. Since the popular series wrapped, he's had one completely-off-the-radar release, one new release, and the voice of a giraffe. There have been no well-publicized romantic exploits, or a television show. Maybe it's the curse of the Gellars, as Courtney Cox has also been out of the spotlight. Schwimmer's comedic goofiness seems to have carried him as far as it can, at least on-screen. Now, he will Schwim behind the camera with the new film, Run, Fat Boy, Run. It is a first for Material Entertainment -- the joined forces of Entertainment Film Distributors and New Line Cinema.

Our own Martha Fischer originally covered the film when Simon Pegg was in negotiations to play the "fat boy." An original screenplay by Michael Ian Black ( Reno 911!), Run tells the tale of an overweight man who wants to win back the fiancé he left at the alter five years earlier by running in a marathon and somehow upstaging her dapper new fiancé. With casting complete, Pegg will be joined by Thandie Newton, Hank Azaria, and Dylan Moran. Is it safe to assume that Azaria will be the new man in her life? For a man who still has charisma as a tight pants Lancelot, the script must make him really undesirable.

The cast looks promising, although we all know that great casts don't necessarily make great movies. The title? Well, I think they could have come up with something a little more original, but we're talking about the guy who writes about over-the-top cops in Reno . Basically, it follows the usual supportive formula when you can't think of your own words of encouragement. My first memory of it is in Forrest Gump with the whole "Run, Forrest, run!" And, my favourite use would be the juvenile, yet funny, chiding "Fly, fat ass, fly!" from Mallrats.

Can you think of earlier uses of the "Action, Name, Action" formula? What are your favourites?

Indie film Smother is getting underway with Liv Tyler, Dax Shepard and Diane Keaton signed to the flick. Inferno Distribution will finance and produce the pic with Jay Roach's Everyman Pictures. The script was penned by Tim Rasmussen and Vince Di Meglio, and is about a 30-something guy who is fired from his job just as his wife wants to have a baby and his overbearing mother moves in with them. Di Meglio will make his directorial debut with the film. The scribes have another project in IMDb listed as Untitled Rasmussen and Di Meglio Project, about a "Southern father meeting his three daughters ethnically diverse boyfriends for the first time at Thanksgiving." That project has been sold to Warner Bros and David Dobkin (Shanghai Knights, Wedding Crashers) attached to direct.

The Pleasure of Your Company, which premiered at Toronto, has been picked up by MGM for North American distribution. The romantic comedy, written and helmed by Michael Ian Black, stars Jason Biggs (American Pie) and Isla Fisher (Wedding Crashers, I Heart Huckabees). MGM also recently acquired Werner Herzog's Rescue Dawn, and is set to distrib The Weinstein Company's Bobby and Harsh Times.

Speaking of the Weinsteins, TWC has also pegged Tony Leondis to helm animated CG pic Igor, which will focus on a mad scientist's assistant. Script is being written by Chris McKenna. Leondis previously scribed other animated flicks including The Prince of Egypt and Home on the Range.

Three-time Oscar nominee Frank Darabont, currently listed on IMDb as writing and directing an adaptation of Ray Bradbury's Fahrenheit 451, has optioned rights to the book Rescue Me, He's Wearing a Moose Hat : and 40 Other Dates Over 50, a comedic memoir by Sherry Halperin about her misadventures reentering the dating world after being widowed at the age of 51. Halperin will co-produce on the project.

(Ed's note: All links to Variety and The Hollywood Reporter stories require a subscription to read the full piece, but you can get a free 14-day trial from Variety.)

Call me crazy, but Simon Pegg is not someone I would have anywhere near my dream-cast list if I was trying to fill the lead of a movie called Run, Fat Boy, Run. Unless the man has experienced some serious weight gain since the last Hot Fuzz video blog entry, he's missing what would seem to be one of the primary requirements for that role, namely the fat. Despite that, this morning's Hollywood Reporter insists that Pegg is in negotiations to star in the film, in which he'd play "a charming but oblivious overweight guy who leaves his fiancee on their wedding day only to discover years later that he really loves her." While trying to convince the woman that they belong together, the Pegg character for some reason has to run a marathon, which explains the film's title.

The movie was written by Michael Ian Black, and will be directed by none other that David Schwimmer. Seeing as how Run, Fat Boy, Run is Schwimmer's debut feature as a director, I feel it's time to offer a single piece of advice: Just say no to fat suits. Nobody want to see a white, male Big Momma. If Pegg is going to play your damn Fat Guy, feed him cheese burgers -- lots and lots of cheese burgers. If he complains, just tell him that the Academy loves that crap. (The problem, however, is that the movie starts filming next month. That might not be enough to time for the necessary burger pounding.)