Leslie Mann – aka Mrs. Judd Apatow, and who was so good in Knocked Up – doesn’t often do comedies that aren’t associated with her husband. But she’s just signed on for one – Burr Steer’s 17.
Mann will play Scarlett, the wife of a grown man who finds himself transformed into a 17 year-old and forced to navigate high school again. Yes, it’s another body-swap comedy – let’s hope it’s more Big than Vice Versa.
Our waning confidence isn’t helped by the knowledge that teen titan Zac Efron is to play the titular teenager in question. Empire has yet to be convinced about the real star potential and talent of the High School Musical star, but – hey! - thousands of screaming, hormone-addled young girls can’t be wrong, right? Right?
Besides, Mann – a fine comedic actress, next to be seen in the Apatow-produced Drillbit Taylor – should be able to lend proceedings a certain vitality, even if scenes between her and Efron should be decidedly icky.
Meanwhile we’ll be keeping an eye on Steer, to see how he’s come along in this, his first film since 2002’s dark comedy, Igby Goes Down.
Jason Filardi wrote the script, and Hairspray director Adam Shankman – for whom Efron may now officially be considered something of a protégé – is one of the producers, along with Jennifer Gibgot. New Line is putting up the cash, desperately hoping that Efron’s 17 minutes isn’t up before the film’s release.