This news is a few days old, but it’s developing quickly and we had a little too much moonshine at the Uproxx Weiner Eating Contest so you’ll deal with it. Adam McKay has decided that instead of just producing Will Ferrell’s next project, Three Mississippi, he’s going to direct it with the hopes of again capitalizing off of the successful chemistry between Ferrell and Mark Wahlberg, as the two will star as rivals from different families that gather annually for a tackle football game.
The ensemble comedy’s script comes from 30 Rock executive producer Robert Carlock and Friends executive producer Scott Silveri. It follows two neighboring families as they do battle in an annual Thanksgiving game of front-lawn tackle football that’s grown increasingly nasty over the years. (Friends fans may recall a similarly intense Thanksgiving-set football happening.)
McKay had already been aboard the project as a producer, but told EW that he wasn’t planning on directing it. Now we hear he’s making it his next project, and that Warners hopes to have it in theaters come next Thanksgiving. (Vulture)
The name of this film was originally Turkey Bowl, but they presumably changed it because Kevin Smith just released his own film called Turkey Bowl, and I assume it’s about a 12-layered dish that can be eaten for breakfast, lunch and dinner.
Three Mississippi will also star Alec Baldwin as Wahlberg’s father and I’m sure they’ll have someone equally established as Ferrell’s father, a la James Caan or Robert Duvall. In fact, I’ll predict that Ferrell’s father is either Robert DeNiro or Clint Eastwood, unless he’d like to leave Pink Cadillac as his final comedic performance. And I’m sure they’ll have some hot actresses playing their wives, adorable and quirky children, hilarious cameos, funny accents, loud shouting, and I’ll ultimately leave this movie thinking, “How the hell is it so difficult for you, Sandler?”