At a point in the very near future, the argument over whether an Arrested Development movie is a good idea or a terrible one is going to become academic. According to THR, Ron Howard and Mitch Hurwitz have closed a pair of deals to write and direct a film with Imagine and Fox Searchlight. (Point number one to celebrate: the deal is with Fox Searchlight and not Fox.)
Hurwitz will write and direct, but in the latter department he’ll have help from Ron Howard. On the surface that might not sound ideal, but Howard had a lot more creative input into the show that detractors (of which I’m generally one, when it comes to his directorial career) would like to admit. One way or the other he’ll be a big part of the movie as well, and if it comes down to a co-directing credit, so be it.
Start laying bets as to whether or not Michael Cera will return. Though I don’t relish the idea of AD without George Michael, I’d almost love to see how Hurwitz and Howard would write around his absence.