used guys Tagged Articles at Cinematical

All the way back in 2006, Ben Stiller and Jim Carrey were headed to a future where women not only rule the world, they also "clone and trade men like used cars." Emily Mortimer was going to co-star as a woman whose unease over buying a cloned man leads to love with the cookie cutter Stiller. However, a few days later, the whole thing was scrapped ... but then it was back on the pre-strike priority list. And now, it's back on (again), with a whole new focus.

The Hollywood Reporter posts that the sci-fi comedy has dropped Jim Carrey, and will now star Stiller and Reese Witherspoon. But this isn't a case of sex-changing characters. The project will now focus on Clone Ben, and his relationship with clone owner Witherspoon -- in other words, the character once played by Emily Mortimer. Little Miss Sunshine's Valerie Faris and Jonathan Dayton are in talks to helm the project, but no writer has been hired yet to change things up.

This makes perfect sense. When the economy is alright, the project is scrapped because it would be way too pricey. The economy tanks, and they decide to pay for a big re-write, and to hire another big-paycheck star. As for the why behind switching this from buddy comedy to romance, THR notes that "Fox hasn't yet successfully mined the new vein of guy-centric comedy," but have fared well with funny flicks aimed at women. Yay. Gotta love when films of the future go back to the stereotypical past. Couldn't this be aimed at us without making the central theme romance? I mean, it is about a women-leading future after all.

Now that we know what this whole Hollywood strike is about, a new list has been circulating which details all of the films (and their directors) the various studios and production companies have fast-tracked. Not all of these films will wrap production by June 1, 2008, but it does give us a clear indication as to which movies are taking priority. Interestingly enough, the list also confirms some details that (as far I can recall) weren't previously known -- for example, Guy Ritchie is directing a remake of The Dirty Dozen? For real? Another fascinating tidbit is that Fox lists the A-Team as one of their top priorities, however I thought that flick was stationed way toward the bottom of development hell. Also on that list for Fox is Used Guys, directed by Jay Roach -- although we were told production had stopped due to scheduling problems. Is it back on?

Some other stuff worth pointing out: Dimension lists Eli Roth's Cell as a pre-strike priority, even though Roth has said the script still isn't done and that it may be awhile before the film takes shape. They're also fast-tracking a Porky's remake, with no director currently attached. You superhero fans should be happy to know that both Magneto and Wolverine are on the list, as well as Justice League, Thor and Punisher II. Those that love Martin Lawrence in a fat suit, well, they're fast-tracking a Big Momma's House 3, without a director attached. And hey, Fletch Won is on there too -- with Steve Pink at the helm. Random sequel time: The Birdcage 2? Really? There's a bunch of untitled stuff on there (including one from Cameron Crowe and one from Jon Favreau), so who knows how many of these will manage to get things going in time. Regardless, it's a good chance to see what the next year will look like at the movie theater. I've included the full list after the jump (courtesy of FilmJunk); let us know what you think.

Hey ladies, are you sick and tired of your man's beer-gut? To humor you, does he attempt to try different diets, only to fail miserably after only one day? Have you thought about offering up a reward -- some sort of incentive that will get him to lose the weight? Might I suggest tickets to a football game, a new Special Edition DVD or -- I got it -- how about one night with a hooker? You think I'm joking, but that's the premise of The High-Impact Infidelity Diet, a book that was just picked up by Warner Bros. to be adapted into a feature film.

Mickey Birnbaum has been hired to pen the script, which will based off the book written by Eric Pfeffinger and Lou Harry. Plot centers around three overweight men whose wives offer up a night with a prostitute as motivation to lose the weight. (Yeah, that's something my wife would agree to if, ya know, a gun was put to her head. Even then, I'm sure she'd rather watch me swim in a pool of fat each morning then live with the thought of some skanky hooker shacking up with yours truly.) Birnbaum was the original writer on Used Guys -- the pic (which had Ben Stiller and Jim Carrey attached to star) was ultimately shelved over "budgetary concerns." Says Birnbaum about Infidelity Diet, "This looks at the dieting industry through the eyes of men when you usually see it through the eyes of women." It sounds fun, but who do you cast as the three fat men? Do you pick three well-known actors and throw them in fat suits? Or do you just ask Vince Vaughn to put on another ten pounds? (Oh wait, Vaughn isn't cast in this ... yet)

A comedic collaboration between director Jay Roach and funnyguys Ben Stiller and Jim Carrey was supposed to start production this summer ... but inevitable delays and soaring budgets have conspired to kill the project -- for now, anyway.

Used Guys, "a sci-fi comedy about a women-ruled world where men are bought and sold as sex objects," was written by first-timer Mickey Birnbaum, and would have been directed by the mega-profitable Jay Roach*, but Variety reports that the "futuristic" sets would not be finished in time for production, which would have caused a logjam on Stiller's & Carrey's next projects. Some claim the $110 million budget gave Fox some cold feet; others blame the unfinished sets -- but the flick's been called off, period. Too bad, too, because it's a cool concept and it would have been fun to see Stiller and Carrey makin' with the futuristic co-funny. Alas.

Used Guys had already staked out June 15th, 2007, as its release date, a date which Fox promptly handed over to Fantastic Four 2.

(* Mr. Roach directed all three Austin Powerses as well as Meet the Parents & Fockers ... which I can only assume soothes the sting of Mystery, Alaska.)

Lovely and amazing British actress Emily Mortimer is joining Ben Stiller and Jim Carrey in the comedy Used Guys. The movie is set in a a woman-run future where men are cloned and sold like cars. Stiller and Carrey play two guys who rebel after being traded in and go in search of the lost meaning of manhood. Mortimer will play Michelle, a woman who is uncomfortable with purchasing a robot-mate, but (surprise!) comes to fall in love with the Stiller character. Austin Powers director Jay Roach will direct the comedy. I imagine some seriously high-octane hijinks will ensue with the Stiller and Carrey pairing. It will be interesting to see what Mortimer does with a leading-lady role in a broad comedy (though I suspect she'll have to fight for screen presence as Jim Carrey is involved); I hope she doesn't have to sit by and play it simply straight and sweet. She has done a great job in the past playing somewhat difficult characters -- the clueless and insulated Chloe in Match Point and the awkward and insecure Elizabeth in Lovely and Amazing -- without turning them into easy stereotypes. And wouldn't you want Emily Mortimer to purchase you if you happened to be a cloned male living in a woman-run future?