Though Anchorman: The Legend Continues is still in production, star Kristin Wiig is already set to work with writers Will Ferrell and Adam McKay again in Welcome To Me, an independent picture directed by Shira Piven (Fully Loaded) and written by Eliot Laurence (The Big Gay Sketch Show).
The film is about Wiig’s character spending her lottery winnings on a cable access talk show that revolves around her associative personality disorder. Silver Linings Playbook‘s success means that now’s the best time to get a project like this running, given the pairing of mental illness and comedy being as close to ‘in vogue’ as it’ll ever be.
Wiig’s success in Hollywood since starring in Paul Feig’s Bridesmaids has been something to behold, and has seen her land roles in The Secret Life of Walter Mitty, Despicable Me 2, Girl Most Likely, The Skeleton Twins, How To Train Your Dragon 2 and Hateship, Loveship. While clearly a capable comedy actress, she’s also proven she can handle the subtleties of drama in the likes of All Good Things and even Friends With Kids. Simply put, she seems well suited to the role.
Ferrell and McKay’s Gary Sanchez Productions will produce Welcome To Me after previous success with Danny McBride projects Eastbound & Down and The Foot Fist Way, goofy comedies The Other Guys and The Campaign and, less logically, Hansel & Gretel: Witch Hunters.
Now, I’ll watch Kristen Wiig in just about anything, even if her choice of hairstyles always keeps me guessing, but I’m not so sure about Welcome To Me. I guess everyone has to start somewhere, but Piven and Laurence haven’t the track record to instill any faith in me that the star power behind this film is deserved.
Based on what I know so far (in all my infinite wisdom, sure), it seems like they’ve got a little lucky with this casting. Wiig’s not above making a bad choice here and there too, as MacGruber has proven, but what do you think? Is it jumping the gun to sell this one short before it even gets off the ground?