Evan Almighty (Bruce Almighty sequel)

[Brian in Mesa]

Steve Carell is Evan Almighty
Source: Variety
August 26, 2005

The 40-Year-Old Virgin's Steve Carell is making a deal to star for Universal Pictures in Evan Almighty, says Variety.

Conceived for Jim Carrey until he declined to reprise his role in Bruce Almighty, the sequel will take the news anchor character Carell played in that film and put him on an Almighty-inspired quest to build an ark in preparation for a great flood.

Tom Shadyac will return as director, and Morgan Freeman is negotiating to encore as God. Steve Oedekerk wrote the script and plans are for the film to begin production early next year.

Carrey isn't expected to reprise his role from the original, nor will Jennifer Aniston.

Sony Pictures may distribute the film internationally. Universal has also warmed to the idea of making a line of future "Almighty" pictures, each of which would include Freeman as God.

 

[Brian in Mesa]

Evan Almighty Starts Principal Photography
Source: Universal Pictures
March 20, 2006

Filming has begun on the hilarious comedy Evan Almighty, starring Steve Carell (The 40-Year-Old Virgin, NBC's The Office), Morgan Freeman (Million Dollar Baby, Bruce Almighty) and Lauren Graham (Bad Santa, Gilmore Girls).

Comedy director Tom Shadyac (The Nutty Professor, Liar Liar), who helmed the box-office hit Bruce Almighty, returns behind the camera for this next episode of divine intervention written by Steve Oedekerk (The Nutty Professor, Bruce Almighty), Josh Stolberg and Bobby Florsheim.

Carell reprises his role as Evan Baxter -- the polished, preening newscaster of the first film -- who finds himself the next one anointed by God (Freeman) to accomplish a holy mission.

Newly elected to Congress, Evan leaves Buffalo behind and shepherds his family to suburban northern Virginia. Once there, his life gets turned upside-down when God appears and mysteriously commands him to build an ark. But his befuddled wife (Graham) and kids just can't decide whether Evan is having an extraordinary mid-life crisis or is truly onto something of Biblical proportions ...

Evan Almighty features a supporting cast that includes John Goodman, Wanda Sykes, John Michael Higgins and up-and-coming young actors Jonah Hill (upcoming Accepted), Jimmy Bennett, Graham Phillips and Johnny Simmons.

Evan Almighty is produced by Shadyac and Michael Bostick (Bruce Almighty, Liar Liar) for Shady Acres Entertainment, by Gary Barber and Roger Birnbaum for Spyglass Entertainment and by Neal Moritz for Original Film. Ilona Herzberg, Dave Phillips and Matt Luber serve as executive producers. The film is a Shady Acres Entertainment, Spyglass Entertainment and Original Film production and will be released worldwide by Universal Pictures.

The film's behind-the-scenes team includes cinematographer Ian Baker (It Runs in the Family) and Bruce Almighty alumni: costume designer Judy Ruskin Howell, production designer Linda DeScenna and editor Scott Hill.

Evan Almighty will be filmed in Los Angeles, Virginia and Washington, D.C.

 

[Stout]

I may get to be an extra for this. They're filming quite a bit just down the road, and maybe in my own town too. They have me on file.

 

[Brian in Mesa]

I may get to be an extra for this. They're filming quite a bit just down the road, and maybe in my own town too. They have me on file.

Very cool. Let us know if they use you.

 

[Stout]

Very cool. Let us know if they use you.

Will do. It'd probably end up being what War of the Worlds was, but they are looking for some long-running extras, like his neighbors and construction workers, familiar faces and the like, so who knows.

It's rumored that the street corner about 1/2 a block from my apartment is going to be used for a shot with Morgan Freeman and two bison

 

[arthurracoon]

Will do. It'd probably end up being what War of the Worlds was, but they are looking for some long-running extras, like his neighbors and construction workers, familiar faces and the like, so who knows.

It's rumored that the street corner about 1/2 a block from my apartment is going to be used for a shot with Morgan Freeman and two bison

 

[D-Dogg]

Steve Carrell was the best part of the original movie, so yeah, I'll check it out.

 

[Renz]

Evan Almighty Starts Principal Photography
Source: Universal Pictures
March 20, 2006

Filming has begun on the hilarious comedy Evan Almighty, starring Steve Carell (The 40-Year-Old Virgin, NBC's The Office), Morgan Freeman (Million Dollar Baby, Bruce Almighty) and Lauren Graham (Bad Santa, Gilmore Girls).

A bit premature, don't you think?

 

[Brian in Mesa]

A bit premature, don't you think?

Consider this: Source: Universal Pictures

 

[Brian in Mesa]

First Look at Carell as Evan Almighty
Source: USA Today
May 5, 2006

USA Today has your first look at Steve Carell in Universal Pictures' Evan Almighty, coming June 29, 2007.

Remember the hair that got yanked in The 40-Year-Old Virgin? It's replaced and then some when God (Morgan Freeman) transforms the news anchor-turned-congressman into a modern-day Noah in the sequel to Jim Carrey's hit, now shooting in central Virginia.

The newspaper says that for the first half of the film, Carell plays a preening politico who uproots his family to the D.C. area. Summoned by a prayer, God materializes before the self-absorbed Evan Baxter, insisting he build an ark before a great flood arrives. Though Evan initially resists, he is unable to contain his hair growth.

 

[abomb]

Costs have skyrocketed for Universal's upcoming Evan Almighty, starring Steve Carell, with final expenditures likely to exceed at least $175 million -- $250 million, including marketing -- the Los Angeles Times reported today (Monday). Such a budget would make it the most expensive comedy in history, the newspaper observed. According to the Times, studio executives have acknowledged that the Bruce Almighty sequel has exceeded original budget estimates but are confident it will eventually be profitable. Describing the film as a "spectacle fantasy and also a comedy," Universal Chairman Marc Shmuger told the newspaper that it is "a great bet." The newspaper quoted unnamed sources as blaming the overruns on the studio's desire to release the film during the holiday season in December, thereby cutting preparation time and forcing the crew to shoot scenes in Virginia during a rainy period. (Bad weather reportedly forced an 11-day production delay.) Producers also encountered delays having to film hundreds of animals (it's a kind of Noah's arc tale), with predators like lions and tigers having to be separated from monkeys and giraffes.

 

[dreamcastrocks]

Costs have skyrocketed for Universal's upcoming Evan Almighty, starring Steve Carell, with final expenditures likely to exceed at least $175 million -- $250 million, including marketing -- the Los Angeles Times reported today (Monday). Such a budget would make it the most expensive comedy in history, the newspaper observed. According to the Times, studio executives have acknowledged that the Bruce Almighty sequel has exceeded original budget estimates but are confident it will eventually be profitable. Describing the film as a "spectacle fantasy and also a comedy," Universal Chairman Marc Shmuger told the newspaper that it is "a great bet." The newspaper quoted unnamed sources as blaming the overruns on the studio's desire to release the film during the holiday season in December, thereby cutting preparation time and forcing the crew to shoot scenes in Virginia during a rainy period. (Bad weather reportedly forced an 11-day production delay.) Producers also encountered delays having to film hundreds of animals (it's a kind of Noah's arc tale), with predators like lions and tigers having to be separated from monkeys and giraffes.

This film would be lucky to gross $100 Million IMO.

 

[abomb]

This film would be lucky to gross $100 Million IMO.

This movie could be in big trouble.

Two of the highest-grossing comedies are Home Alone at $285M and Meet the Fockers at $279M.

I am sure after they pass EA through a hundred focus groups, it will be doomed for failure.

 

[NEZCardsfan]

This movie could be in big trouble.

Two of the highest-grossing comedies are Home Alone at $285M and Meet the Fockers at $279M.

I am sure after they pass EA through a hundred focus groups, it will be doomed for failure.

That little Kevin McAllister cracks me up.

the crooks got hit in the head with paint cans.... ......so good......

 

[Ryanwb]

I like Steve Carell

 

[D-Dogg]

No way this movie is profitable. No way.

 

[abomb]

No way this movie is profitable. No way.

...and this is from a guy who loves Carell.

This flick might go Pluto Nash.

 

[abomb]

The trailer aired during the block of The Office episodes last week.

Ug, this movie looks hoooooooooorrible.

 

[MigratingOsprey]

that was one of the worst trailers I've seen in a long time

 

[abomb]

I stand behind the Pluto Nash comparisions, although this movie is going to perform 65%-75% to "Night at the Museum" (another trailer/idea that made me want to punch people).

The EA trailer makes me want to fight someone.

 

[nathan]

I have zero desire to see this movie.

 

[abomb]

I have zero desire to see this movie.

I have less than that. I physically want to prevent people from watching it.

 

[Gaddabout]

Did Cecile B. Demille direct it? They're not even going to make that money back in DVD sales and rentals. They're not even going to make that money back overseas. This movie's going to offend people in certain cultures.

I liked Bruce Almighty, but in a Saturday afternoon kind of way. I thought it had a potentially powerfully message that was washed out by the fact that it was a Jim Carrey vehicle.

I hope they're not thinking the Christians who cry about "Christian content" in movies are going to support this. Christians (and probably more specific to this story, Jews) don't like to see their holy text modernized and changed. That's my experience, anyway.

 

[Ryanwb]

I have less than that. I physically want to prevent people from watching it.

Will you pay me?

 

[D-Dogg]

Well, I would have rented it when it came to DVD for Carell, but Wanda Sykes makes me want to drive a knife through her chest, so I will likely never see the flick.