James Marsden Anchorman 2EXCLUSIVE: X-Men‘s James Marsden is the latest cast member to join Will Ferrell & Co. in Anchorman: The Legend Continues. While plot details have been kept largely under wraps, sources tell Deadline he’ll play a rival anchor and nemesis to Ferrell’s Ron Burgundy in the sequel. Secrecy has been high as production ramps up for a March shoot in Atlanta, although Christina Applegate slipped news of Kristen Wiig’s casting on Twitter earlier this month. Adam McKay is directing the December 20, 2013 Paramount release for Gary Sanchez Productions and Apatow Productions with much of the original Anchorman cast reprising their roles, including Steve Carell, Paul Rudd, and David Koechner.

Marsden most recently flexed his comedic muscles in last year’s Bachelorette and played Liz Lemon’s love interest Criss Chros on NBC’s 30 Rock. He next appears in Universal’s August crime drama 2 Guns with Denzel Washington and Mark Wahlberg, followed by Lee Daniels’ The Butler in which he plays JFK. He just wrapped Walk Of Shame opposite Elizabeth Banks. Marsden is repped by Brillstein Entertainment Partners and WME.