Hank Azaria, Simpsons voice actor extraordinaire and Tony nominee for Spamalot, is getting a little Middle Eastern vibe going on his next two projects. He will work with the two biggest names in comedy at the moment, Judd Apatow and Ben Stiller. Ok, only one actually makes consistently (or even intermittently) funny movies, but that Hank is not one to turn down a paycheck.

According to the HR, Azaria will portray an Egyptian pharaoh in Night at the Museum 2: Escape From the Smithsonian. I think there was also a pharaoh in the first movie, but it doesn’t look like Azaria will be playing the same character. Maybe he will be playing the first pharaoh’s zany cousin. Oh man, the laughs are already starting in my throat.

In Apatow’s next producing project, Year One, Azaria will play Abraham. I think it is that Abraham. The movie, set in “biblical times”, will also star Jack Black and Michael Cera (I’m sold). Harold Ramis will repay Apatow for giving him the funniest two minutes of his acting career in Knocked Up by directing Year One.