Marlon Wayans – the co-writer and star of some of the worst comedies of the last 20 years – has signed on to star in The Year Of Living Biblically, a high-concept comedy about a guy who agrees to live according to the rules of the Old and New Testament for one year.
If you’re thinking that that sounds a tad like Yes Man, you’re not a million miles away. The Year Of Living Biblically, like Yes Man, started life as a non-fiction book, with Esquire editor A.J. Jacobs pulling a Danny Wallace, with – needless to say – hilarious results!
And now along comes Marlon Wayans, bringing to bear the comedic skills he sharpened on the **Scary Movie **franchise, **Little Man **and, dear God help us all, White Chicks. It’s clearly an attempt to fashion a star vehicle for Wayans, who hasn’t really had a hit without his brothers, Shawn and Keenen Ivory (Damon, the star of The Last Boy Scout, has the good sense not to get involved in the Wayans’ family movies).
Ordinarily, we’d advise you all to run for the hills and not to look back, lest the potential awfulness of this movie turns you into a pillar of salt, but Wayans – whisper it – has shown potential in the past, with a strong dramatic turn in Requiem For A Dream, and a comedic turn in the Coens’ The Ladykillers. He’s also got an action role coming up this summer in Stephen Sommers’ G.I. Joe, as well as another Wayans’ spoof, Dance Flick. But the less said about that one, the better.
So, if the Marlon Wayans of those movies can show up for The Year Of Living Biblically, this might be one to watch. Jay Reiss wrote the script, Julian Farino will direct, and Paramount will pick up the cheques.