Is Will Arnett Holding up the Arrested Development Movie with his Illusions?

Production on the Arrested Development movie is living up to the movie's name a little too well, and even though Michael Cera was long thought to be the reason, now it appears that Will "GOB" Arnett is the one causing the delay. Although AD creator Mitch Hurwitz was supposed to be working on the film's script this summer, Arnett told the New York Daily News that he and Hurwitz have been a little distracted.

"The Arrested Development movie is definitely going to happen," Arnett said on Saturday. "But Mitch and I have been working on the new show, so unfortunately for the movie, we have been focusing on that for the last couple of months."

The new show, Arnett said, is about a rich and powerful man who realizes he doesn't actually have much to contribute to the world.

"And no, I'm not drawing on my personal life for this one," he quipped.

Still, Arnett assured the Daily News, there is some progress on the Arrested Development movie.
"We're definitely not starting from page one," he said. "There are scripts in order."
You'd better not be lying to us, Will Arnett, because you would be making a huge mistake.

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Report Casts Doubt on Arrested Development Movie

Nooooo!

In Januuary, Will Arnett said: "For once and for all, the Arrested Development movie is happening!"

But is it, really?

Considering the amount of time that has passed since the Fox sitcom was on the air, as well as the other projects creator Mitch Hurwitz is developing, an insider told Zap2It that he doubts the project will ever get off the ground.

"I don't think Mitch is gonna do it," the source said. "It seems like he's moving off the idea. So much time has passed."

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Franklin Delano Bluth

Name: Franklin Delano Bluth
Aliases: Frank, Judge
Occupations: Pimp, Bailiff for Bud Cort
Favorite Drugs: Ether
Fake Illnesses: Gastric bacterial infection
Fake Allergies: Tricycline, Tetracycline
Albums: 1 (Franklin Comes Alive!)
Songs: It Ain't Easy Being White, (Everything I Do) I do it for You
Portrayed by: Will Arnett's hand
Franklin Delano Bluth Quotes:

• "I don't want no part of your tight-ass country club ya freak bitch!"
• "Speaking of mothers, let me give that oatmeal some brown sugar."
• "I ain't kissing that old bitch."
• "Get your loser hand out of my ass."
• "My name is Judge."
• "Hard to sit when you got someone's hand up your ass."
  

Progress On ‘Arrested Development’ Movie Slows As Creator Concentrates On Other Projects, Says Ron Howard

Go the the original page here

Published by Eric Ditzian on Thursday, April 30, 2009 at 11:56 am.

If you’re like any of us at MTV News, you’re probably wondering what keeps holding up the big screen adaptation of “Arrested Development” from moving forward. Well, now we have our answer: the new Fox show, “Sit Down, Shut Up.”

Mitch Hurwitz’s animated comedy debuted earlier this month, and between writing and producing that series, and developing other television projects, the “Arrested” creator hasn’t had a chance to start writing a script for his Emmy-winning Fox show that was canceled in 2006, says “Arrested” producer/narrator Ron Howard.

“Still waiting on a script,” Howard told MTV News this week. “Mitch’s television company was very successful—good for Mitch—and slowed things up a little bit for ‘Arrested Development’ fans.”

While not actively writing a script, Hurwitz is still keeping the wheels turning when it comes to the Bluth family and their particular brand of dysfunctional dark comedy. “Mitch is into it,” said Howard. “He’s thinking about it. He’s told me some of the ideas. They’re hilarious. But he hasn’t pulled it together into a script—that I know of! Maybe he’ll see this and email me something.”

Howard also said that castmembers remained committed to the project. “Every time I bump into anyone from the show—everybody’s excited,” Howard said, which is great news considering all the “is he in or is he out?” gossip that has surrounded the adaptation.

But don’t expect casting news regarding Jason Bateman, Will Arnett, Michael Cera and others any time soon: in February, Howard told us, “We’ve been asked to no longer divulge anything or get into the game of who’s in, who’s out. People are going to have to see.”

When the movie does get going in earnest, Hurwitz will assume directing duties, while Howard will produce. And, thankfully, he’ll be hanging on to one other position as well. “Nobody can keep me from being the narrator,” Howard said. “That’s my gig, buddy!”

Will Arnett discusses movie, Sit Down Shut Up

Link: http://www2.canada.com/ottawacitizen/story.html?id=600d7f70-4a18-4a16-b108-af10da895dda

Arnett's development was unarrested

Jamie Portman, Canwest News service

Published: Sunday, April 19, 2009

Will Arnett says working on the Arrested Development movie will be 'really fun.'

In fact, Arnett's work plate is overflowing. He's basking in the glowing box-office returns for the animated Monsters vs. Aliens for which he supplied the voice of the Missing Link. He recently finished work on When in Rome, a new Disney romantic comedy which also stars Kristen Bell and Anjelica Huston.

He's also wrapped up shooting G-Force, a family action comedy, for producer Jerry Bruckheimer. And in June, he and old friends from the Arrested Development clan will reunite for the eagerly awaited film version.

There's the April 19 premiere on the Fox network of Sit Down, Shut Up. He provides the voice for a self-absorbed English teacher on this new animated sitcom from Mitch Hurwitz, who was also the zany creator of Arrested Development, one of the great cult shows of the past decade.

Then there's also the fact that he and wife Amy Poehler recently became parents to new son, Archie. Parenthood, Arnett emphasizes, is a life-changing experience.

Meanwhile, his acting career has never looked better, even though Arnett is reluctant to predict where he'll be, say, five years from now.

"To be able to continue doing stuff and work with really talented people is very gratifying. But I really should have more of a plan. I don't have the benefit of being all that sharp, so I could probably do a better job in that regard."

Chief among them is the film version of Arrested Development is now looming high on his agenda. The series made Time magazine's list of the 100 greatest shows of all time during the three seasons it lasted from 2003 to 2006.

He labels his time on the show as "incredible" and he can't wait to renew his acquaintance with his character, Gob, or find out what's in store for him in the movie.

"Who knows? I'll have to beg Mitch for mercy on that one. I'm sure he will have me in some kind of compromised position. It will be really fun to get back into that world."

Will Arnett discusses Arrested Development Movie

By Nick Allen • April 16, 2009

Hopefully this isn’t another con from the Bluth family.

The heavily-anticipated film adaptation of the cult TV series has just gotten a small update from one of its key players, actor Will Arnett. For those unfamiliar with the show, Arnett plays a struggling magician who is a member of the uber dysfunctional Bluth Family. The show (and later the film), includes actors like Jason Bateman, Michael Cera, Portia De Rossi and David Cross.

Speaking to MTV News, Arnett offered a few words on the status of the project. He said:

“There’s no script as of right now, but it’s something that Mitch [Hurwitz] is actively working on and getting ready for, and we’re hoping to start shooting by the end of the year. I know that’s one of the goals. There are a lot of pieces that have to come together. There are what, like, nine cast members plus various people like Mitch and [producer and narrator] Ron Howard, and everybody kind of has to get their brain around this one delicious souffle.”

Other than what Arnett has dished out, the “souffle” hasn’t made too much progress in recent months. Michael Cera finally signed on to play his character George-Michael (possibly the penultimate of Cera roles), and Ron Howard expressed interest in the project a couple months back.

Concerning the media’s attention on the film, Arnett said something that couldn’t be more true. “God, I’ve never known a movie whose ever step of development has been as closely followed,” he said. “This movie’s gonna be such a disaster.”

Bateman vs. Arnett

George Oscar (GOB) Bluth, Jr.

Name: George Oscar Bluth, Jr. (GOB)
Marital Status: Divorced
Occupation: Former President of Bluth Company, Co-Founder of The Magicians Alliance, Co-Founder of Gobias Industries, USO Magician, Accidental Waiter, Former Hot Cops performer, Bailiff for Bud Cort
Son of: George Sr. & Lucille Bluth
Father of: STEVE HOLT!
Softball Position: Outfield/All over the field
Accomplishments: ...
Vehicle: Segway
Magazine Covers: Poof
Movies: Boyfights, Boyfights 2, A Boyfight's Cookout, Backseat Boyfights: The Trip to Uncle Jack's 70th, Girls With Low Self-Esteem
Friends: Franklin Delano Bluth
Music Albums: 1 (Franklin Comes Alive!)
Software: Gob's Program
Magic Illusions: Walk on water, The Burning Bush, Magic Coffin, Saw the lady in half trick, Wine into water, Aztec Tomb, King of Kings, Disappearing Yacht, Sword of Destiny, Free Chicken
Women he's claimed to have had Pop Pop with: Marta Estrella, Nellie, Lucille Austero, Kitty Sanchez, Starla, His ex-wife, Nahzgalia, Mrs. Whitehead
Women he's actually had Pop Pop with: Marta Estrella, Lucille Austero, Kitty Sanchez, His ex-wife, Nahzgalia, Mrs. Whitehead
Portrayed by: Will Arnett
Gob Bluth Quotes:

• "I've made a huge mistake."
• "Come on!"
• "Whenever this family runs into any problems, it's always oh, let's have Gob fuck our way out of it."
• "Takes his queen, and showers her with DIAMONDS!...clubs...club sauce, he covers her in club sauce."
• "Illusion, Michael. A trick is something a whore does for money."
• "I've got this christian girlfriend now, and she's trying to get me to be a better man and reconnect with my son, and I'm trying to get her to renounce God and fuck me, and I just want to prove to her that I'm worth it."
• "Hey if I can't find a horny immigrant by then, I don't deserve to stay here."
  

Movie News...Well, One Man's Opinion

Link: http://news.google.com/news/url?sa=t&ct=us/5-0&fp=49901eb0070dbe74&ei=UomQSeL-BoaqNqD7-a8K&url=http%3A//www.dailytexanonline.com/movie_column_will_arrested_sell_on_the_big_screen-1.1360142&cid=0&sig2=-3J1PAJbeP5tpPkDc6pDIA&usg=AFQjCNFWI0hGALT5RyTwLLG-lVU5ONcMFQ

Daily Texan Staff

Published: Monday, February 9, 2009

Rumors of an Arrested Development movie have been swirling for months; Everyone from Will Arnett to Jason Bateman has displayed interest in reprising their parts. The show’s creator, Mitchell Hurwitz, dropped hints last week that a movie was on.

Only Michael Cera, George Michael, recently said that he wanted to see the script before committing. Cera, star of movies such as “Juno” and “Superbad,” finds himself in the peculiar position of having to shake off the effects of stereotyping without displeasing the show’s unusually vocal fans.

“Arrested Development” fans feel a strong sense of ownership when it comes to the Bluth family; They have hijacked the show’s comedic style and cult status to assert their own intellectual identity. They want a mainstream movie out of this — perhaps to validate their good taste — while claiming that the show’s low ratings were a sign that it was too classy for most audiences.

This declaration sidesteps the curious fact that the show was willing to indulge in supposedly low-brow slapstick. In truth, “Arrested Development” tried a little bit of everything: goofy lines, risque lines, awkward pauses, non-sequiturs, inside jokes, obvious jokes, jokes that make you laugh out loud, jokes that make you smile inwardly, verbal puns, visual puns — and then each of these styles layered on some of the others.

Take, for instance, Tobias Funke and his obsession with the Blue Man Group, a minor narrative arc that extends mainly over the course of season two. At different points, whether or not Tobias is in the frame, his (blue) palm prints can be spotted all over the house and, a couple of times, even on his brother-in-law Michael’s shirt. On one level, this is funny because of the visual gag. On another level, it is funny in a surreal way to be confronted by a character who for no particular reason is obsessed with men covered in a coat of blue paint. On a third level, the joke is a pun on the fact that the Bluth family is engaged in the business of building model homes. (The link: blueprints.)

The main reason for the show’s failure was not narrative complexity. It was that viewers were overwhelmed by the different kinds of jokes flying toward them, seemingly without pattern. Self-indulgence in a sitcom works effectively until the audience begins to lose the thread.

Although the show created an arc of intimacy between the Bluth family and the viewer, the characters were extraordinarily unsympathetic. “Arrested Development” went about its business without seeming to care if jokes on themes such as incest — controversial under any circumstances ­— might alienate viewers.

Hurwitz is under pressure from the fan base to deliver a script abound with arbitrary jokes. He will want to persist with this degree of cleverness for artistic reasons. And with any luck, it would pay off with movie audiences, since cinema holds greater pretensions to art than television.

The presence of familiar faces like Cera and Portia de Rossi cannot hurt a complex film’s box-office chances. And given the show’s politics — the plot centered on the situation in Iraq and weapons of mass destruction — the movie script might address the current financial crisis.

An Arrested Development movie will follow in the tradition of TV shows like “Sex and the City,” “The Simpsons” and “Miami Vice,” which all made the transition to big-budget cinema, but unlike those films, “Arrested Development” will probably evoke the feel of an indie production.

Then again, with Ron Howard presumably having a hand, you never know.

It is conceivable that an Arrested Development film might go on to influence the course of comedy in mainstream cinema. Then again, it might not. It’s “Arrested Development.”