21 Jump Street Directors May Work Magic For Carter Beats The Devil

Directors Phil Lord and Chris Miller already had one hit behind them, the surprisingly hilarious animated film Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs, but it was only after this spring's 21 Jump Street that the former Clone High writers really seemed to be hitting the big time. Not only did they prove they could direct live action, but they helped introduce the world to Channing Tatum's hilarious side, and turned in a box office hit that's made $136 million domestically. They'll be heading back to animation for their next film, a movie based on Legos at Warner Bros., but now it looks they'll be heading to an even higher profile live-action film once that one's done.

THR reports that Miller and Lord are in talks to direct Carter Beats the Devil, an adaptation of Glen David Gold's novel of the same name that's been in development for about a decade. The book, about a magician unfairly blamed for the death of President Warren G. Harding, was originally optioned by Paramount for Tom Cruise to star, and back in 2010 WB apparently wanted Johnny Depp to star-- there's your 21 Jump Street connection, if you're looking for it! Lord and Miller would be coming on a project with no names attached, but since they have to finish up the Lego movie anyway, it would be a while before the hunt for a new leading man would begin anyway.

The back-to-back successes of Cloudy and 21 Jump Street means I'll watch Lord and Miller do absolutely anything, even if Carter Beats The Devil doesn't sound quite on the same level as the irreverent, borderline absurd comedies they've made so far. Both of their first two movies started off as ideas that seemed terrible on paper, so who are we to doubt them at this point?