Thank you, kind, shiny-headed Ron Howard, for giving us renewed hope for the return of the Bluth family. The producer and voice of the cruelly stunted Arrested Development, who's currently doing the rounds for Angels & Demons, took time out to dish the latest to ComingSoon.net on the big screen version of one the most side-splitting sitcoms ever.
The stars of the show have registered varying levels of awareness of the film's existence, with Jason Bateman practically announcing its greenlit status back in February, a view which was then supported by Pop-Pop Bluth, Jeffrey Tambor, as well as by Will 'Gob' Arnett in an interview with Conan O'Brian. Then Michael Cera and David Cross went and spoiled it all by saying something stupid like, "is this true?"
However, Howard - as producer - should be the man in the know, and his take is: "I really hope we do it. The reason there's been so much back and forth is for two reasons. The business understanding from the studio wasn't clear, so even though we were wanting to do it and said, 'Yeah, maybe we could', things weren't defined. I think that's really come into focus in the last week or so."
The other hurdle has been creator Mitchell Hurwitz's role - or rather, roles - in bringing the project to the silver screen: "Mitch's full-on commitment to not only write it but direct it is something he's been wrestling with. He's been launching a TV show at the same time, so he couldn't let it really be at the forefront of his mind creatively - it is now. He seems very committed. We still don't have a script. He's got some great ideas, and the cast seemed very excited about it and I certainly am. I'm very, very hopeful—more hopeful now than ever—that it's really going to happen."
This has to be the most positive indicator yet that this thing is on. All we need now is some assurance from Hurwitz himself, which we should hear once he's done on that distracting TV show - an animated remake of failed Aussie comedy series, Sit Down, Shut Up.
By happy non-coincidence, the show also ties up Bateman and Arnett, plus one of AD's most hilarious guests, Henry Winkler. Fingers crossed the next career choice for all of them will be a return to the model home.