Flash!! Steven Seagal and David Zucker Team for Comedy !! !!

[suziwong]

Source: Variety Tuesday, May 18, 2004

Variety says Steven Seagal has signed a deal with Fox Searchlight and producers David Zucker and Gil Netter to develop a comedy starring vehicle directed by Zucker, who helmed Scary Movie 3.

The trade says the deal comes as a result of Seagal parodying his tough guy image in the producer and studio's upcoming The Onion Movie.

Zucker and Netter are working with Steamroller Productions, the Seagal company run by Phil Goldfine, to find the right comic vehicle. Ideas include having him play a bumbling federal agent.


David Zucker. Director & Producer:

Producer - filmography

(In Production) (2000s) (1990s) (1980s)

Untitled Onion Movie, The (2004) (post-production) (producer)

Santa Claus Conquers the Martians (2002) (producer)
Phone Booth (2002) (producer)
"Absolutely True" (2000) TV Series (executive producer)

BASEketball (1998) (producer)
For Goodness Sake II (1996) (producer)
High School High (1996) (producer)
Walk in the Clouds, A (1995) (producer)
Naked Gun 33 1/3: The Final Insult (1994) (producer)
For Goodness Sake (1993) (producer)

Naked Gun: From the Files of Police Squad!, The (1988) (executive producer)
... aka Naked Gun, The (1988)
Our Planet Tonight (1987) (TV) (executive producer)
Top Secret! (1984) (executive producer)
"Police Squad!" (1982) TV Series (executive producer)
Airplane! (1980) (executive producer)
... aka Flying High (1980) (Australia)

For David Zucker

http://us.imdb.com/name/nm0001878/


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[gunslinger]

I guess Steven's trying to do a DeNiro/Analyse This type thing?

 

[suziwong]

I guess Steven's trying to do a DeNiro/Analyse This type thing?

I guess he is trying every way !!
Not bad !! He is an actor and I am sure he does the best !!
We saw the results at Mountain Dew. He was very well!!

 

[ORANGATUANG]

Beleive it when i see it...Seagal doing comedy?...i surpose theres always a first for everything.

 

[suziwong]

Updated !!

Steven Seagal: Funnyman
Action star to try career in comedy

18 May 2004

There's certainly an argument to be made that, despite attempts to the contrary, much of Steven Seagal's back catalogue could be considered comedy. But while many a giggle has been had as the actor turned out action films with more corn than an explosion at the Butterkist factory, news that Seagal is about to launch a career in intentional comedy does not bode well for the future of humankind.

Teaming up with Airplane! (and more tragically Scary Movie 3) director David Zucker, Seagal has signed up to star in a comedy for Fox Searchlight where he'll attempt to amuse audiences with what we assume will be a parody of his action persona.

But what in the nine hells has prompted such an act? Seagal's appearance as a supporting role in the upcoming The Onion Movie seems to have cause a rippling of mirth and a self-satirising turn in a Mountain Dew advert has apparently confirmed his latent abilities as a comedic genius.

"For a transformation like this, the fewer comedy credentials the better," Zucker told Variety. "Steven has zero comedy credibility, which makes him perfect for us... He doesn't have to be funny. He just has to be himself in a funny setting."

That much, at least, he can probably handle.

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[Serena]

Suzi--Thank you for these articles.
I think he can carry it off. Look at his Mountain Dew commercial.
No other comments.

 

[suziwong]

Updated!!

From Variety

Seagal sets up laffer at Searchlight

Sun May 16, 8:00 PM ET

Michael Fleming, STAFF

After snapping many a bad guy's bones onscreen, Steven Seagal (news) will next target the funny bone.

Seagal has signed a deal with Fox Searchlight and producers David Zucker (news) and Gil Netter to develop a comedy starring vehicle directed by Zucker, who helmed "Scary Movie 3."

The deal is a result of Seagal's promising turn in a supporting role in "The Onion Movie," the Searchlight/Regency comedy Zucker and Netter produced, named for the satirical newspaper.

The pic, opening in November, is a series of sketches in the vein of "Kentucky Fried Movie," which Zucker wrote with his brother Jerry and Jim Abrahams (news). Seagal parodies his tough guy image and becomes an interconnecting character in the sketches.

Seagal, recently featured in a Mountain Dew commercial that lampooned his macho martial artist image, is serious about a second career in comedy.

He's not the first tough guy to try for a laugh track: Arnold Schwarzenegger (news) scored in "Twins" but not "Junior," and Sylvester Stallone (news) missed with "Stop or My Mom Will Shoot."

Zucker said Seagal reminded him of Leslie Nielsen (news), who had a long career in straight drama before his deadpan comic potential was put on display in the Zucker-directed "Airplane!" Zucker then put him in the short-lived TV series "Police Squad!", which led to the "Naked Gun" film series.

"For a transformation like this, the fewer comedy credentials the better. Steven has zero comedy credibility, which makes him perfect for us," Zucker said.

He said Seagal has shown the prerequisite willingness to check his vanity at the door.

"Steven gets the joke, he knows he is making fun of himself," Zucker said.

"For this to work, you've got to put yourself on the line and risk diving into an empty swimming pool. Leslie trusted that the jokes would work, and Steven has shown he can do the same thing. He doesn't have to be funny. He just has to be himself in a funny setting."

Zucker and Netter are working with Steamroller Prods., the Seagal shingle run by Phil Goldfine, to find the right comic vehicle. Ideas include having him play a bumbling federal agent.

While the comedy develops, Seagal continues to kick out dramas. He still averages two a year and on Sunday he wrapped "Into the Sun," an actioner which he co-wrote.

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[katw_03]

Suzi, I think he would be delightful in a comedy!
I hope that do find the right comedic actor to
costar with him. Thank you so much for the
information.....love, kat

 

[bigdw132002]

i HOPE THIS IS MADE IT SOUNDS LIKE IT COULD BE REAL FUNNY

 

[Disciple]

This is a big step in Seagal's career. This is EXACTLY what he needs right now, a shift in his public image away from the cheap DTV action movies.

Leslie Nielsen is getting old, so the Airplane guys need a new "straight man" as it were... Which makes room for Sensei. And the completely serious actor in the middle of comedic situations approach will be perfect for Seagal, look how great he was in the Mountain Dew commercial.

Great news! I for one am very excited.

 

[Lotussan]

Cool!
Thanks, suzi!
This is neat...
As always Disciple and Serena, I like your thinking...
It would be excellent if it were like the naked gun movies,
which were toooooo funny!
He could even parody some of his films if he wanted to...
Or other ones, as I think that is quite acceptable...
And yes, he was great in the mountain dew commercial, no question...
I think this is a great idea...
Of course, I have always believed in him...
He can do whatever he puts his mind to, and what an amazing mind it is...
I would hope he would still do many other types of roles as well, and always something that showcases his MA talents...
Maybe even a TV show someday too, huh?
But then again, even if he chose to retire I'd still be more than glad to run away with him, hehehe...

 

[maria]

Thanks suzi for the information
I think he gonna achieve it successfully.

 

[Amos Stevens]

Thanks Suziwong-I recall on an interview that Seagal gave one time about how he would like to do a comedy

 

[RichieMadano]

He was really funny in My Giant. I agree that sending himself up by being dead-pan can be hilarious.

 

[aikidonna]

I wish him luck and good fortune, in this new direction in his career!!!!
Take care
Donna

 

[suziwong]

He was really funny in My Giant. I agree that sending himself up by being dead-pan can be hilarious.

right right !!!! My Giant, some parts of Exit Wounds, some parts of GlimmerMan, then Mountain Dew !! woowwwwwwwwwwww !!
He does very well !!! It will be wonderful !!!!!

 

[tora]

I always knew he would make a great comedian.I've been waiting for it for so long.

 

[justice808]

As long as he keeps on making action films(remember those?)too then I will be happy.It will be interesting to see how this turns out.Is the film supposed to be an action comedy film?Or will it just be a comedy?

 

[tora]

As it's gonna be a parody on himself then it's supposed to have some action sequence too...Otherwise it's not a parody.

 

[tora]

But the name is really weird...Actually I don't even like how onion smells but for Steven's sake I'll make a stand.