Steven Seagal: Funnyman

There's certainly an argument to be made that, despite attempts to the contrary, much of Steven Seagal's back catalogue could be considered comedy. But while many a giggle has been had as the actor turned out action films with more corn than an explosion at the Butterkist factory, news that Seagal is about to launch a career in intentional comedy does not bode well for the future of humankind. Teaming up with Airplane! (and more tragically Scary Movie 3) director David Zucker, Seagal has signed up to star in a comedy for Fox Searchlight where he'll attempt to amuse audiences with what we assume will be a parody of his action persona. But what in the nine hells has prompted such an act? Seagal's appearance as a supporting role in the upcoming The Onion Movie seems to have cause a rippling of mirth and a self-satirising turn in a Mountain Dew advert has apparently confirmed his latent abilities as a comedic genius. "For a transformation like this, the fewer comedy credentials the better," Zucker told Variety. "Steven has zero comedy credibility, which makes him perfect for us... He doesn't have to be funny. He just has to be himself in a funny setting." That much, at least, he can probably handle.