Renée Zellweger will star with Johnny Knoxville in the comedy that marks the actress’ directorial debut. K5 International and PalmStar Media Capital concluded a financing and sales deal today on the film, which K5 will introduce to buyers in Toronto. 4 1/2 Minutes is set in New York City’s stand-up milieu with Knoxville playing a commitment-phobic comic whose life is falling apart when he takes a job looking after single-mom Zellweger’s genius son. The story is based on the comedy of real-life stand-up Dov Davidoff. Warrior‘s Anthony Tambakis penned the script. Zellweger and Tambakis are already working together on TV drama Cinnamon Girl, a 1970s-set project that the pair co-created and which Lifetime picked up to pilot in July. She’ll also star in the upcoming Broadway adaptation of The Hustler, written by Tambakis and to be directed by Warrior‘s Gavin O’Connor. PalmStar’s Kevin Frakes is producing 4 1/2 Minutes with Zellweger and Tambakis through their All Together Now banner. Raj Brinder Singh will executive produce. Film is set to start production in NYC in February. Zellweger is repped by CAA which is also handling North American rights.