Yes, the pair are set to join the Steve Carell, Tina Fey comedy, Date Night. Not sure what the rest of you thought that might have meant. Director Shawn Levy (Night at the Museum) is grabbing everybody with a SAG card he can in staffing this comedy, which in addition to Carell, Fey, Wahlberg and Franco includes Common, Taraji Henson, Leighton Meester and Kristen Wiig. Josh Klausner (Shrek Goes Fourth) penned the screenplay and Levy is producing with Tom McNulty.
Says Variety, the comedy revolves around a married couple who find themselves in harm’s
way after their routine date night that goes horribly awry. Wahlberg plays a successful and crazily buff securities expert who
flirts with Fey’s character. Franco portrays a not-too-bright con man
and petty criminal. Meester is onboard as the couple’s babysitter.
Henson plays the one good cop who believes the couple is in danger, and
Common portrays a villain. Wiig, who worked with Fey on Saturday Night Live, rounds out the cast as the actress’ best friend.
This could technically be the first official comedy for Wahlberg in a while (not counting The Happening), at least in front of the camera (counting Entourage). He typically works in a bit of humor in his characters before kicking or shooting the hell out of someone else. And of course after Pineapple Express, Franco’s comedy credentials are stamped in gold. Fey and Carell are known to dabble in the genre.