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EXCLUSIVE: Studios and mini-majors must be hungry for product, because yet another star-attached picture is about to get snapped up. Lionsgate has made a preemptive bid for Take My Wife, and is negotiating to acquire a comedy that teams Dwayne Johnson and Tyler Perry. Lionsgate got first crack because Perry is a cornerstone filmmaker for the mini-major. While he usually plays regular and drag roles in the films he directs — a small role in Star Trek was the exception — this time he’ll be playing a lead role in a movie he’s not directing.
In Take My Wife, Perry will play a recently divorced man who realizes the only way to get out of paying alimony to his ex is to find her a new husband. He sets about transforming a rough-around-the-edges guy (Johnson) into a paramour who can be her ideal mate. After his Cyrano act creates the new love match, the divorced guy falls back in love with his wife and has to compete for her affections. Greg Coolidge and Kirk Ward wrote the script. Perry will produce through his 34th Street banner with Matt Moore and Ozzie Areu. Johnson and producing partner Dany Garcia are executive producers along with Chris Cowles and Chris Fenton. Perry’s For Colored Girls will be released November 5 by Lionsgate, and he is filming Madea’s Big Happy Family. Johnson has Faster coming out November 24 and just wrapped The Fast And The Furious 5. He’ll next star in the 3D Journey to the Center of the Earth sequel. CAA reps Johnson, WME reps Perry.
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I can see his friend Halle Berry playing his wife. He wanted her in For Colored Girls but she was busy.
I agree. Halle Berry would be my pick too.
Interesting idea. Hope it sells
Yes! A spec comedy that reminds of the good old days when new line made movies like this. Greg and Kirk are great and really funny. Pros all the way and speaking of pros that dwayne Johnson is the man.
Good luck!
Sounds a lot like the Jason Robards sub-plot in Divorce American Style (1967), which earned an Oscar nomination for Norman Lear and Robert Kaufman’s original screenplay. I guess 43 years is long enough to wait for Tyler Perry to rip it off…
Come on man, no one is thinking about a movie from 1967. This is a story that is totally relatable due to the draconic court policies regarding divorce in this country. A man wanting his ex to move on so he doesn’t have to pay anymore alimony maks perfect sense.
You don’t have to be Tyler Perry to see that. You could be Kirk Kerkorian.
It’s not his movie, it was written by George Coolidge. Just a bit of information.
It also sounds like an early 90s Matt Dillon movie called Mr. Wonderful.
Wow!!! I’m not a big Tyler Perry fan, but this movie is PERFECT for him! Not only does the movie concept sounds interesting, it’s a great movie to help expose him to a wider audience. The Rock has a solid fanbase. The “wife” in the movie is Key as she must be black actress that can easily be marketed to the mainstream. Halle Berry and Zoe Saldana are pretty much the only options.
I do NOT want to see Eva Mendes or Rosario Dawson as the wife. I will throw up.
Good comment. I, too, am not a fan of Tyler’s product but this looks to be a good move for him. He must expand his base and this could do it. Also, your observation regarding black actresses was spot on… Unfortunately.
I’m curious…What, exactly, is “acceptable” to the “mainstream” when it comes to black actresses?
@Anthony
I just had to take the bait. Couldn’t resist. “Acceptable” to the mainstream can mean several things, individually or collectively.
1. Meet “mainstream’s” standard of beauty.
2. “Proper” socialization/associations are a must.
3. Date and/or marry someone the mainstream identifies with, and if nothing else be willing to fulfill the Master/slave sex fantasies of some of the sickos in power and FANS who subscribe to those type of perversions which brings me to…
4. Go out of your way to assimilate on screen and off. A Halle Berry performance like Monster’s Ball will seal the deal and possibly get you an Oscar.
Hope that helped you out.
Curtis,
LOL!!!! Thanks for the clarification. Your bullet list confirmed my suspicions.
Along those lines…don’t forget Kerry Washington.
We can’t have this discussion without mentioning the goddess Gabrielle Union.
Oy vey.
LOL at “While he usually plays regular and drag roles in the films he directs–a small role in Star Trek was the exception–this time he’ll be playing a lead role in a movie he’s not directing.” Funny sh*t.
No, it wasn’t.
It’s the exact same plot as MR. WONDERFUL, which was directed by Anthony Minghella:
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0107613/
It’s way too close to be a coincidence.
… And you have WAY TOO much time on your hands. Jackass.
Mr. Wonderful plot summary:
Electrician Gus gets the chance to fulfill a childhood dream by buying an old bowling-alley with some of his friends. Unfortunately, due to the alimony payments he has to make to his ex-wife Leonora, the bank refuses to loan him the down payment. Knowing that when she marries again she loses her alimony rights, Gus tries to speed things up by bringing Leonora together with all the potential husbands he can find. Although this approach isn’t very successful, it awakens feelings in both of them they didn’t know they still had.
Wait…are you saying Matt Dillon is an african-american actor?
Hahaha! This would one make a hell of a movie! I am not a fan too of Tyler but Dwayne already make it to the movie industry and he’s also good in comedy. Surely, I will watch this!
Well, Steve Carell can’t be too happy – sounds exactly like A Boyfriend for My Wife that he is developing for WB. But considering who he is doing the project with, I’m sure it won’t get off the ground anyways.
“anyway” you fuckin idiot.
I don’t like Perry, or romcoms. But damnit, that’s a good plot hook!
This is a complete rip off of an Argentinian film titled “Un novio para mi mujer” “A Boyfriend for my wife” which as far as I knew Steve Carrell bought back when it came out and wanted to do it. The premise is very very similar… The main character, tired of his wife’s shenannigans decides to hire a famous lover to win his wife’s heart and take her away… but everything backfires and he soon realizes he is falling for her again. This sounds just like the American version but they included the alimmony crap. If you can, rent that flick just to watch the wife… she is freakin hilarious… awesome character!!!
Actually, “Divorce Italian Style” was the grandaddy of them all.
Can I be the first to say it?
“Take My Wife?” Please!
I’m shocked at so many people are impressed with this story and actor Perry.
Storyline isn’t appealing to me but hey whateva… i thought this was just a point for Perry to work with another muscular pretty boy.
I, too, am surprised by the interest in this storyline that to me is drab, not to mention that it’s been done before.
I also feel that Johnson and Perry don’t possess strong enough acting skills to make this project beyond subpar.
i guess perry was so impressed with the rock’s cameo in wdigm2.
This film will never get made.
Excuse you? Lionsgate loves Tyler Perry. Any movie he does, they will finance it with no questions asked. I expect this movie to be out next fall.
Why do you guys hate on Tyler Perry so much? Like it or not, his star will only rise as he becomes more and more powerful.
anon – sounds like you’re a bitter wannabe that calls himself a writer but doesn’t write ANYTHING – EVER – because you CAN’T and wants anyone else who’s having success to fail… just like you always do..
I think he should do the Bishop Eddie Long Story. It would be more believable.
Funny comedic premise, and who would have thought when you say Tyler Perry, youde follow it up with interesting intriguing casting. Ive worked with Coolidge and Ward, good guys, happy for them, and I bet this movie absolutely gets made.
disagree about this getting made…Funny comedic premise, and who would have thought when you say Tyler Perry, youde follow it up with interesting intriguing casting. Ive worked with Coolidge and Ward, good guys, happy for them, I bet this movie absolutely gets made.
Yeah, Coolidge and Ward are always cranking out the smart funny. Awesome for those guys!
Greg Coolidge and Kirk Ward wrote the script. Perry will produce through his 34th Street banner with Matt Moore and Ozzie Areu. Johnson and producing partner Dany Garcia are executive producers along with Chris Cowles and Chris Fenton.
Tyler Perry, who has made all of his money in the black community shows great loyalty and character as he has put together a fine team of African Americans on this vehicle into mainstream film… what? They’re ALL WHITE?!
Nevermind.
I don’t understand you guys. Why do black actors, producers, directors always have to stay making black movies and can’t branch out? Its so ridiculous. There are still lots of white people who haven’t even heard of Tyler Perry or seen any of his movies. This is a good way to get his face out there.
Unfortunately…he can’t act.
Tyler is right where he needs to be at this moment in time.It is not about crossing over,it is about staying true and keeping the power,which he has.It is hard to play someone elses game and win.He is braching out and those who know what time it is know that he is doing great.Everyone in your house ain,t family.And every door should not be opened.
Enough already! I am a published author and screenwriter. Some of you need to work on your spelling and grammatical errors before you send out information for the whole world to read. Back to the topic at hand, it’s very small-minded and sterotypical to say that the only two black actresses who could play the wife’s role are Halle and Zoe!
Since all of you have nothing better to do than to ponder whether this movie is a cookie-cutter copy of previous works, ponder this very important question: Which came first, the chicken or the egg?
Cleopatra223 – for what do you mean you’re published? does that gave you the right to critize us if we can’t spell? maybe some of us have a problem that can’t be corrected? are you a writer or a speller?
The writers of Tyler’s film, Kirk Ward and Greg Coolodge are hilarious and talented. For Tyler to direct a film that he didn’t write, you know these guys must be great. By the way, they are two of the nicest people I have ever met. Tyler will have another hit on his hands.
Tyler’s finished after the Eddie Long scandal. All of these guys have fooled people way too long. No one wants to see his cross-dressing, deus ex machina anymore.
We black people wonder why we are missing from TV and film. We have no further to look than the support we give to the trash in black music and film.
Only we would celebrate a bad filmmaker then use that success to defend him.
Like Eddie Long all of his shenanigans will come to light and it will be over. And none too soon for me.
I think the following actresses will be great in the role of the ex-wife:
- Nia Long
- Regina King
- Anika Noni Rose
- Paula Patton
A while ago, Dwayne said that he wanted to star opposite Halle. Perhaps this is his chance.