Zach Galifianakis, breakout star of The Hangover, is in negotiations to star in A Funny Story, alongside Emma Roberts and with** H****alf-Nelson** writer-directors Ryan Fleck and Anna Boden, er, writing and directing.
The story's set in a mental institute, so immediately we're saying that this is comedy of the darker and more dramatic sort. Based on Ned Vizzini's young-adult novel, it's the story of a teenage boy (as-yet uncast) who is sent to the institution following a bout of depression. He somehow ends up in an adult ward (the Daily Mail would be up in arms) and befriends a number of odd adults and an unusual teenage girl.
Galifianakis would play one of the most prominent of the adult patients, while Roberts would of course be playing the love interest.
Shooting is due to start this year, after Galifianakis finishes work on buddy/baby comedy Due Date and before he starts work on The Hangover 2.