Bill Murray has signed on to Walden Media’s latest fantasy family movie. The Hollywood Reporter says Bill will star in City of Ember, directed by Monster House’s Gil Kenan.

City of Ember casts Murray as the mayor of, well, the city of Ember. His town has existed for generations in an amazing world of glittering lights. When the city’s generator beings failing and the lights start flickering, two teenagers must follow clues to unlock the city’s existence before the lights go out.

At this point, I think it’s safe to say we’ve run out of ideas for fantasy movies. Brownouts aren’t exactly what I’d consider a magical time at the theater. Maybe this whole energy conservation movement really has gone too far. Just because I no longer afford to put gas in my car doesn't mean I want to watch a movie about kids trying to fix a power plant.

So I guess this is Bill Murray raising the white flag on the whole serious actor thing. Since 2001 and The Royal Tenenbaums he’s done a string of serious indie-movies and even gotten Oscar attention. Now he’s following in the footsteps of Jim Carrey and going back to making throwaway crap. Someone get Wes Anderson on the phone. Bill Murray needs a better movie, stat!