Charlie Kaufman’s New Film Has Nicolas Cage, Jack Black and Steve Carell

While casting starts to get underway for that mystery collaboration between director Spike Jonze and screenwriter Charlie Kaufman, Kaufman has another project he's also focusing on, "Frank or Francis," which will be his directorial followup to "Synecdoche, New York." Today, reports started surfacing about the casting for the film, and if this is all true ... well, wow.

According to Variety, Nicolas Cage, Jack Black and Steve Carell are all attached to the project, which is described as an indie musical. (Deadline's story suggests that Carell is merely in talks at this point.) "Synecdoche, New York" was an ambitious head-trip of a movie, so it makes sense that Kaufman's next effort would be a musical: That was about the only genre not represented in his last film. As for the plot of "Frank or Francis," Variety forwards along the same thin storyline that we've heard this far:

Plot details remain under wraps but insiders describe the pic as a Hollywood satire about an auteur director named Frank who clashes with an online blogger named Francis.

No word yet who would be Frank or Francis. As for this cast, it's exciting because of its potential. Of the three actors, Carell is perhaps the hottest at this point, although that depends on how "Crazy, Stupid, Love." does. Black can do great work, but he's had more commercial success of late as a cartoon panda than as a live-action human. As for Cage, well, what needs to be said at this point? The last decade has been just about a total disaster for the Oscar-winner, except for his role in "Adaptation," which Kaufman wrote. Despite his many recent failures, Cage is someone we still find ourselves rooting for. We don't think we're the only ones. A reunion with Kaufman might be just the thing he needs.

Carell, Black and Cage eye Kaufman pic [Variety]