Ever since David O. Russell bailed on the job of directing Pride and Prejudice and Zombies, the field has been wide open with wild possibilities for who could take over next. The last round of speculation included the likes of Matt Reeves, Jonathan Demme and Cloudy With a Chance of Meatballs team Phil Lord and Chris Miller (a great choice if you ask me). Now a frontrunner has emerged, and it's probably the last person from that group you would expect.

According to The LA Times writer-director Mike White has moved to the top of the list, despite only having one feature directing credit, the underseen indie comedy The Year of the Dog, to his name. As the Times points out, though, White has a comic sensibility that could help him navigate the very odd tone of P&P&Z, which combines the plot of Jane Austen's classic novel with some flesh-eating hordes that mess up Elizabeth Bennet's plans for marriage.

Still, the game is not at all settled, and there's no telling who might swoop in at the last minute to take the job. As a fan of White's ever since he was the random dude sleeping on Kim Kelly's couch on that one episode of Freaks and Geeks, I'll totally root for him-- especially since it's possible he'll do something interesting with a movie that, frankly, seems kind of impossible to make. More power to him if he thinks he can make it work.