Jim Carrey, Steve Carell To Co-Star Again, Under Very Different Circumstances

Will Leitch
·Editor

It has been eight years since "Bruce Almighty," to this date the second biggest hit of Jim Carrey's career (behind "Dr. Suess' How the Grinch Stole Christmas," which shouldn't count, on account of being so terrible), and lots has happened since then. Carrey's career hasn't exactly stalled, but he isn't near the box office star he was back then; he's not even busting out when surrounded by cute penguins, and if you can't get a family hit when surrounded by cute penguins, man, what good are ya?

Meanwhile, the "bad guy" of "Bruce Almighty," the jerk comedic foil to "nice guy" Bruce, was Evan Baxter, played by a "Daily Show With Jon Stewart" correspondent named Steve Carell. Carrey was supposed to be the rubberfaced guy, but the movie's most physically dexterous comedy came from Carell. He out-Carrey-ed Carrey.

The past eight years have been far better for Carell than they've been for Carrey: Carell took over the "Bruce Almighty" sequel -- which didn't do that well -- but mostly he grabbed the Likable Leading Comedic Man roles that Carrey had been trying to position himself to grab for most of the last two decades. Not just that: Carell got critical respect too. With a Steve Carell around, who needs a Jim Carrey?

So, eight years later, they're working together again, but this time, Carrey's the supporting role:

Jim Carrey is negotiating to star with Steve Carell in "Burt Wonderstone," the Don Scardino-directed New Line comedy. Carell plays the title character, a Las Vegas magician who breaks with his longtime stage partner and finds himself upstaged by a rival hip street magician who is stealing his thunder.

It's funny: That's almost the exact same plot as "Bruce Almighty," minus the God thing, of course. A ton can change in eight years, huh?

Jim Carrey Goes Mano A Mano Opposite Steve Carell In 'Burt Wonderstone' [Deadline]