Richard Linklater to Direct New Will Ferrell, Zach Galifianakis Comedy
The last time comedy superstars Will Ferrell and Zach Galifianakis joined forces for 2012’s The Campaign, critics were decidedly mixed. Now they have an acclaimed filmmaker on their side. According to TheWrap, Richard Linklater will direct the pair in Larry’s Kidney, an upcoming adaptation of Daniel Asa Rosa’s 2009 memoir, which focuses on the writer’s various adventures in the Chinese black market.
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Ferrell has signed on to play Rose, who ventures to China in order to help his cousin Larry (played by Galifianakis) obtain a kidney transplant. Though no other details have emerged about the project, one thing’s for sure: It’s hard to imagine a duo better suited to starring in a buddy comedy about black market organ-harvesting.
Linklater, long one of Indiewood’s most eclectic and least predictable filmmakers, has ventured into comedy before (his 1993 masterwork Dazed and Confused, the Jack Black-starring School of Rock), but he’s focused primarily on drama in recent years (2008’s Me and Orson Welles, 2013’s Before Midnight, the upcoming Boyhood).
In the meantime, Ferrell still has some unfinished business on television. Back in February, the actor-comedian officially agreed to battle Red Hot Chili Peppers drummer and real-life doppleganger Chad Smith in a drum-off for charity; on Thursday night’s episode of The Tonight Show, host Jimmy Fallon announced that their percussive duel will take place on his late-night show on May 22nd.
“We’re going to have a drum-off to see who the real Chad Smith is,” the actual Chad Smith recently told Rolling Stone of the event. “I’m all for it. But unless Will’s been practicing or is secretly a crazy, wild drummer, I think it’ll be evident right off the bat who the real Chad Smith is. I’m ready to take him down.”
“I have not been practicing,” Ferrell added. “There’s no amount of practice that would help me become a good drummer.”