The poster for How to Lose Friends and Alienate People uses that horrible big red font you're no doubt familiar with -- that ubiquitous "goofy family comedy" lettering suggesting that it features Eddie Murphy in a fat suit and is terrible. God knows why. The movie stars Simon Pegg, not Eddie Murphy, and -- not surprisingly -- looks pretty funny. I actually didn't go nuts over Shaun of the Dead and Hot Fuzz, though I liked both a lot; on the other hand, I also enjoyed Run Fatboy Run, which seemed to leave most people cold. Maybe the answer is that I think Pegg is the genius and not (necessarily) Edgar Wright.

Friends, based on Toby Young's memoir about being a British nobody who finds himself among New York's high society, working at a prestigious magazine, is another Wright-less Simon Pegg affair. Most of the laughs in the new trailer, which you can watch at the top of this post (it's considerably longer and better than the British teaser from a while ago), come courtesy of Pegg's unassuming physical comedy; I love that he never forces it or tries too hard, so that the slapstick seems to be a natural part of whatever character he's playing. The little dance he does about 40 seconds in might justify the film's existence all on its own. And I like that the dog gag at the end doesn't go quite where you'd expect.

The movie also stars Kirsten Dunst, Jeff Bridges, Danny Huston, Gillian Anderson, and Megan Fox (probably not naked the whole time). It's supposed to come out October 3rd.

Simon Pegg is, like nearly everyone else in the film industry, over in Cannes promoting a new film. While doing the rounds for How to Lose Friends and Alienate People, Pegg revealed his next project to IGN.

"I just finished a script with my writing partner Nick Frost, and that is called Paul, and we're going to shoot it later this year or early next year. It's a road movie set in America about two British comic book geeks that get into an adventure across America. Write what you know as they say." I think it sounds downright charming -- and you know their geekiness will be excused all over this fine nation simply because of their accents.

Pegg has a director in mind for the film, but refused to reveal the name, saying only "It's someone really cool." Start guessing!

He also gave a bit of an update on the third installment of the Cornetto Trilogy, The World's End, rumored to be a sci-fi doomsday piece. "Edgar is off doing Scott Pilgrim and then we'll get back together and do our third one together, provisionally title World's End. But that was a premature announcement from Universal, and it's probable that the title will change."

Pegg, Frost and Wright have to be three of the hardest working guys in the business these days -- and there isn't a single project they develop that I doubt or sneer at. And even when there's not much to report, I know you readers out there will get all wound up too.

It was supposed to be a story about a British dude who ticks off the celebrity and Vanity Fair masses, relayed in a voice that charms some, but annoys many. But then the first short little trailer for How to Lose Friends and Alienate People popped up, and as Christopher Campbell said last December, "the trailer makes How to Lose look like a Ben Stiller comedy."

Now the international trailer has hit the waves, and yes, indeed, it still looks like a Stiller comedy -- right down to the dog accidentally flying out the window. Where's the snark? (Okay, snark without cute undertones.) I was expecting bitterness, not slapstick -- a questionable lead, not a seemingly innocent Simon Pegg. At least it's got some Danny Huston without the vampiric language and sharp teeth.

Still, I don't know what to think anymore. My world is all askew, because Kirsten Dunst's moments in the trailer actually seemed more interesting than Pegg's bumbling shenanigans. The film will hit screens this fall.

Warning: Watch for foul language.

[via Ace Showbiz]

I have a really cheap DVD player that I was able to convert to "region free" by entering one of those 1-2-up-down-3-4 codes, which means this news is only slightly less awesome for me -- but it's freakin' GREAT news for anyone who loves Shaun of the Dead / Hot Fuzz and has yet to experience the very first experiment from sirs Simon Pegg, Edgar Wright, and Nick Frost. Now, in most cases I wouldn't cover TV shows (mainly because TV Squad does such a kick-ass job of covering TV shows), but seeing as how most of America "met" these guys through the movies, I figure it's news worth doing at Cinematical.

I'll keep it brief: The two-season Spaced set will be released on Region 1 DVD by BBC Video. Release date is July 22. (One certainly hopes that none of the music has been altered. Allegedly, "music rights" is the reason it took so long for Spaced to make its North American debut.) For those who have yet to experience the blissful magic of Spaced, here's a recap that makes it sound like a moronically conventional sitcom. (It's not.) "Two young 'grown-ups' pose as a married couple in order to rent a very attractive flat." (Yep, that's it.) Mr. Pegg's fantastic co-star is Ms. Jessica Stevenson (now Jessica Hynes), and the supporting cast features Julia Deakin, Mark Heap, Katy Carmichael, and (of course) Nick Frost -- all of whom you'll love after about six episodes.

It's only a working title, but it will do to wind us up for now. Edgar Wright gave a hint as to what will complete the three-flavored Cornetto Trilogy begun by Shaun of the Dead -- rather appropriately, it will be The World's End.

The Guardian caught Wright at a London press conference, where the director announced a two-film deal with Working Title Films -- World's End with Pegg, and a separate action thriller currently titled Baby Driver.

Wright wouldn't give up much on what genre it would be, but admitted it might be a doomsday sci-fi piece. "It's kind of going in that direction." Sci-fi does seem to be an appropriate choice for the mint chocolate chip Cornetto that is supposed to appear. (The Cornetto theme is a tribute to Krzysztof Kieslowski and his Three Colors series, and a different flavor has appeared in Shaun of the Dead and Hot Fuzz.

Welcome back to another edition of Insert Caption -- the game even your parents can't resist playing! Last week, we asked you to strap on your hottest piece of exercise wear in order to give us the wittiest caption for a photo from the new film Run, Fat Boy, Run. Things didn't get too physical in the comments section, and I think we all agreed that Simon Pegg was definitely NOT bringing sexy back. However, according to our winner Christina D., he might be bringing something just a tad less ... manageable.

1. "So...Bleeker. Juno got you pregnant back?" -- Christina D.

2. "Simon heard Hans' pickup line and smirked at the irony that he actually had tickets to the gun show." -- Eric W.

3. "I knew I recognized you... You were in the Olivia Newton John Video 'Physical' huh?" -- Josh B.

See full image and all captions

This week we're sticking with boys who like to get dirty and sweaty. Not boys, men! Men who like to play with balls. (I think I'll stop here.) Yes, we're here to talk about Leatherheads -- that upcoming old school football flick starring George Clooney, John Krasinski and Renée Zellweger. The three sports behind our favorite captions will walk away with one Leatherheads poster, one Leatherheads t-shirt, one Leatherheads hat and one Leatherheads calendar. Not to mention you'll score a winning touchdown with our staff. So lace up gang, and give us everything you've got! (And maybe, just maybe, we'll take the whole team out for ice cream after the game.) Sound off below ...

Read the official rules for this contest

Simon Pegg is going to be in trouble! Even he says so. When asked about Star Trek by AICN, he was extremely wary. "There is very little I can say, because there is a Paramount sniper trained on the back of my head as I speak. He's on a building and I'm not going to look, because he will know I know he is there."

But he talked anyway. You need to head over to read (and listen to!) the entire interview, where Pegg talks about everything from Run Fatboy Run, to Spaced, to Hot Fuzz, and, of course, Star Trek. I will post the best bits here, though, because I know you're dying to read them.

Pegg elaborated on taking on the iconic role and stressed how conscientious he was to play the part with the utmost respect. "One thing I didn't want to do is an impression of James Doohan, because I wouldn't want anyone to think I was making fun of him, you know? If I started doing an impersonation of the actor that played Scotty, that would be doing the part and the actor a disservice, so my intention was to take it as James did when he first picked up the script, and just say 'Okay, he's a physics genius, he's an engineer, he's from Scotland ...' and approach the character like that and to have my interpretation of it."

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.

Has there ever been a set more tightly guarded than J.J. Abrams' Star Trek reboot?
Even Eric Bana was twitchy and guarded on Jay Leno about his shaved head, as if we don't already know who he's playing.

I respect it. It's nice when everything isn't spoiled right off the bat, but it doesn't seem as though your actors should fear you.

But Empire managed to get Simon Pegg, who's playing that famous Scottish engineer, to talk a bit. He revealed he had finished his scenes and that he thinks the movie is going to be "fantastic." A Star Trek geek himself, the biggest moment for him was "just being there on the Enterprise, it was incredible."

It should hearten any Star Trek fan to hear Pegg's devotion to the original Scotty, James Doohan. "Everything is just a tribute to James Doohan and it's his role. I'm just very honoured to be able to step into his shoes. I just hope I do him proud." He's borrowing his wife's "merry [Scottish] accent" for the part, but isn't at liberty to say whether she's a Highlander, a Lowlander or of that special Glasgow variety. "I'll get sued," insists Pegg. (That means it is Glasgow and fans will be angered. Just kidding. Now I'll be sued.)

Star Trek will be released May 8th, 2009. And we'll all be sued for talking about it until then! Why, this post could be yanked before any of you read it. . .

When I refer to David Schwimmer's Run Fatboy Run as "a modern-day screwball farce," that's a nice way of saying it's outrageously predictable, unabashedly sappy, and completely formulaic through and through. You know where the movie is going from frame one, and it sure doesn't take a lot of detours getting there. But the phrase "screwball" probably wouldn't have come to mind if Run Fatboy Run wasn't at least a little bit funny. Which it is. So if you don't mind an amiable-yet-seriously familiar 90 minutes -- and you're a big fan of British actor Simon Pegg -- I'd have no problem recommending the flick. Even if I'd never come close to calling it something brilliant.

The effortlessly likable Simon Pegg stars as one of those lovably lazy sad-sack types that you only come across in comedic films: Despite the fact that he left his pregnant fiancee (Thandie Newton) at the altar five years earlier, Pegg's "Dennis" is one of those losers we love to root for. (How a doofus like this ever scored a catch like Thandie Newton -- and then abandoned her! -- is one of the film's sillier conceits.) So when his former flame's smarmy new boyfriend (Hank Azaria) mentions that he'll be running in an upcoming marathon, Dennis senses a shot at redemption.