Judd Apatow adds John Lithgow and 2 non actors to his next film!

The Film Stage has more:

We told you last night that John Lithgow had already joined the cast of the next film fromJudd Apatow, which might be titled This Is Forty. (I would like to just be able to call it that and move on, really.) Now, THR has learned of two more additions to the movie, and interestingly enough, neither of them are traditional actors.

The two are Annie Mumolo and Robert Smigel, the former of whom co-wroteBridesmaids with its star, Kristen Wiig. Smigel is a name that you might recognize right away, thanks to his work on shows like Saturday Night Live and Late Night with Conan O’Brien. On that talk show, he created Triumph the Insult Comic Dog, who became one of the most famous figures in comedy from the past ten years.

His past association with Apatow comes through his co-writing credit on You Don’t Mess with the Zohan, but let’s hope this turns out a little better than that. Some might be worried about two people who aren’t normally actors having parts here, but I think that can be dissuaded for two reasons: 1. Apatow is very good at bringing out people’s comedic sensibilities, and 2. These will probably be smaller roles.

The rest of the cast is rather impressive, being comprised of Paul Rudd, Leslie Mann, Megan Fox, Albert Brooks, Charlyne Yi, Chris O’Dowd, Lena Dunham, Melissa McCarthy, and Ryan Lee. It’s expected to see a release on December 21st, 2012.

Are you a fan of the work of either, and how do you feel about them acting in this film?

-Joey's Two Cents: I have no clue what they are going to be doing, but I just like knowing Lithgow is in this...thoughts?

Melissa McCarthy joins Judd Apatow's next film!

The Hollywood Reporter has the casting news:

Melissa McCarthy, a breakout star of Bridesmaids, and Ryan Lee, one of the child actors in Super 8, are joining the cast of Universal’s untitled comedy project being directed and written by Judd Apatow.

Paul Rudd and Leslie Mann are reprising their characters of husband and wife from Apatow's Knocked Up in a new story by the writer-director-producer. Albert Brooks and Megan Fox are also among the cast.

Many of the character details are being kept secret but it is understood that Lee will play the son of McCarthy, a mom at the school that Rudd and Mann’s children attend.

Barry Mendel and Clayton Townsend will also produce the comedy, which at one point was working under the title This Is Forty.

McCarthy is riding high these days off of her raunchy work in Universal’s Bridesmaids, which has grossed more than $154 million domestic and was produced by Apatow. The actress, repped by CAA, Schiff Co. and attorney Mark Wetzstein, also stars on the CBS sitcom Mike & Molly.

Lee played brace-faced-kid-turned-adventurer Cary in J.J. Abrams’ Super 8. He is repped by the Atherton Group, Principato Young Entertainment and Felker Toczek Gellman Suddleson.

-Joey's Two Cents: Both were real good in their films this year, and I'm looking forward to Apatow's flick more and more these days...thoughts?

Bridesmaids is now Judd Apatow's highest grossing film...

...and is about to break some more box office related records, according to The Hollywood Reporter:

With hits like The 40 Year Old Virgin, Knocked Up and Superbad, producer-director Judd Apatow has spent the past decade as Hollywood's king of guy humor. But the Apatow-produced, female-driven comedy Bridesmaids is on track to pass Knocked Up on Wednesday night as the highest-grossing domestic movie of Apatow's career.

That’s not all. Projections show that by Sunday or Monday, Universal's Bridesmaids -- directed by Paul Feig -- will supplant Sex and the City as the top R-rated female comedy of all time domestically.

Through Tuesday, Bridesmaids' North America gross was $148.1 million, just behind Knocked Up, which cumed $148.8 million in 2007, and Talladega Nights: The Ballad of Ricky Bobby, which earned $148.2 million domestically in 2006. Barring unforeseen interference from the Transformers sequel, Bridesmaids should pass both those movies Wednesday night.

Apatow directed and produced Knocked Up and produced Talladega Nights. Both were bigger hits overseas, with Knocked Up still serving as Apatow's top worldwide grosser at $219 million. Bridesmaids has made $21 million internationally but is still rolling out in many territories, where it is off to a phenomenal start.

In the U.S., Bridesmaids was released May 13 and is still playing in a little fewer than 2,000 theaters. Sex and the City grossed $153 million in 2008 but had the advantage of being based on a popular HBO series, which contributed to a whopping $57 million opening weekend. Bridesmaids, on the other hand, opened at a strong-but-not-blockbuster $26 million yet has continued to lure audiences based on strong word-of-mouth.

Bridesmaids also will become Universal’s top R-rated comedy of all time, replacing Knocked Up. The film stars Kristin Wiig -- who co-wrote the script with Annie Mumolo -- Maya Rudolph, Rose Byrne, Melissa McCarthy, Ellie Kemper and Wendi McLendon-Covey.

-Joey's Two Cents: It couldn't have happened to a better film...thoughts?

The director of Once is teaming up with Judd Apatow and Scarlett Johansson for his next film!

The Playlist has the details:

Writer/Producer/Director Judd Apatow has a lot on his plate at any given moment and we’ll forgive you if you forgot that way back in the summer of 2009 he revealed that among the many projects he was juggling, was a collaboration with a director who was making major waves with his indie musical at the time. “...we have a movie with John Carney, the guy who made ‘Once’ writing and directing, so hopefully, as soon as I’m done and have a little break, I can help people with their scripts and help to kick things around.”

Well, while Carney has knocked out a couple of films in that time—the comedy “Zonad” and the upcoming “The Rafters”—it looks like he and Apatow have cleared up their schedules and there is some big movement on what he’s cooking up. The Sunday Business Post Online (via ONTD) reports that Scarlett Johansson has been cast in “Can A Song Save Your Life?” a music-oriented picture that Carney will direct. The story will follow “a washed-up A&R man who forms a passionate bond with a young singer-songwriter (Johansson) from out of town.”

With that logline, it’s no surprise to learn that Johansson will sing a good handful of songs in the film, but that will be no problem for the seasoned vocalist. She has already dropped Anywhere I Lay My Head, an album of Tom Waits covers, collaborated with Pete Yorn on his album Break Up, and lent her voice to the soundtracks of “Wretches & Jabberers” as well as “Days Of Grace.”

‘‘I’ve been writing it for a year and a half,” Carney said. ‘‘I went out to Los Angeles to meet Scarlett a couple of months ago. She was everything you could imagine – very hot, elegant and she’s really smart.”

The film will have a tiny budget of $10 million with a shoot planned in New York City next year. No word yet on who will take on the male lead role, but Mark Ruffalo and Jim Carrey are said to be rumored.

As for Apatow, he just started shooting this week on his “Knocked Up” spinoff, “This Is Forty,” and is riding high off the success of “Bridesmaids” which he stamped his producer’s name to. This sounds like an intriguing project all around, that is pretty much right in our sweet spot and at the very least, it’s the most intriguing, meaty role Johansson has had in years.

-Joey's Two Cents: Apatow has the Midas touch when it comes to producing, so this could be something to keep a close eye on...thoughts?

Paul Feig has Melissa McCarthy and Jon Hamm in mind for his next flick?

Quite possibly, according to Deadline:

A little over a week ago, Deadline revealed that Universal Pictures had made a deal for another comedy that Bridesmaids director Paul Feig would write, helm and produce with Judd Apatow. There was no title and the plot was under wraps. I've learned a little bit more. The unconventional love story is about a guy who becomes obsessed with a woman. The template for the guy is Jon Hamm, and the gal is Melissa McCarthy. While I'm cautioned there are no negotiations and it is all very early, it makes perfect sense that both of these thesps will be courted to star in this Feig-directed comedy. Mad Men's Hamm played a fabulously insensitive douchebag playboy in Bridesmaids. As for Mike & Molly star McCarthy, she stole every scene she was in, no easy feat in that strong ensemble cast. If Universal and Apatow aren't figuring out ways to build comedies around McCarthy, they're crazy.

-Joey's Two Cents: I think they'd be a great pairing...thoughts?

Judd Apatow adds to the cast of his next directorial effort...

...and Variety has the details:

Capitalizing on his breakout perf in Universal's "Bridesmaids," Irish thesp Chris O'Dowd is in negotiations to reteam with the studio and producer Judd Apatow, whose next untitled comedy also includes previous collaborators Lena Dunham and Charlyne Yi. Wyatt Russell, the son of Kurt Russell and Goldie Hawn, is also in negotiations to join the ensemble.

Paul Rudd and Leslie Mann are set to reprise the husband-and-wife roles they played in Apatow's "Knocked Up." They'll be joined by Megan Fox and Albert Brooks, who will play Rudd's father.

O'Dowd and Dunham will play employees of Rudd's indie record company, while Russell will play a hockey player. Yi will reprise her "Knocked Up" character, Jodi.

O'Dowd has entertained a tidal wave of offers since playing Kristen Wiig's law-enforcing love interest in Universal's Apatow-produced "Bridesmaids." Laffer recently crossed the $100 million mark. He previously appeared in "Dinner for Schmucks" and just starred in BBC mini "The Crimson Petal and the White." Irish thesp has worked with Fox before, having recently wrapped Jennifer Westfeldt's indie comedy "Friends With Kids."

Dunham and Apatow are exec producing the upcoming HBO series "Girls," which Dunham also wrote, directed and stars in, just as she did the Indie Spirit Award winner "Tiny Furniture." Yi is an accomplished standup comic who recently starred opposite Michael Cera in the Sundance award-winning feature "Paper Heart," while Russell will soon be seen in DreamWorks/Universal's summer tentpole "Cowboys and Aliens."

UTA reps all four thesps, as well as Apatow. O'Dowd is also repped by 3 Arts Entertainment and U.K.-based Gordon & French, while Mosaic reps Yi.

-Joey's Two Cents: I really liked O'Dowd in Bridesmaids, so I'm a big fan of his casting...thoughts?

Judd Apatow is going to make sure Paul Feig makes another movie very soon...

...and after the success of Bridesmaids, why wouldn't he? Deadline has the story:

On the same week that the sleeper Bridesmaids crossed the $100 million domestic gross mark, Universal Pictures has just made a preemptive acquisition of an original comic pitch that will re-team its director, Paul Feig, with Bridesmaids producer Judd Apatow. Feig will write and direct the untitled comedy, and produce it with Apatow. These guys go all the way back together to the Feig-created Freaks and Geeks.

Studio was keeping the log line under wraps, but it is an unconventional love story and is something Feig has been working on for awhile so it could happen in the near term. Of course, when a movie performs the way that the Kristen Wiig and Annie Mumolo-scripted Bridesmaids has, they usually start talking sequel about now, so stay tuned. Feig's also a prolific TV director, including Weeds, Nurse Jackie and The Office. Feig's repped by CAA, Apatow by UTA and Mosaic.

-Joey's Two Cents: They work together very well, so I'm glad to see this...thoughts?