Andy Samberg and Jean Smart have signed on for a time-bending romantic comedy for Amazon, which practically sells itself because we said Andy Samberg and Jean Smart earlier, right? Ok, good. Titled 42.6 Years, the film is based on a story from Samberg, who co-wrote the script with Late Night With Seth Meyers writer Seth Reiss, and it definitely takes an unconventional approach to the rom-com genre. Craig Gillespie, who last directed I,Tonya and Cruella, is attached to helm the project.
The story centers on a young man (Samberg) who, in order to save his life, undergoes an experimental procedure in which he’s cryogenically frozen. When he wakes up 42.6 years later, physically unchanged thanks to being frozen, he finds himself alone in a future with no one to turn to but his ex-girlfriend, who is now much older than him (and played by Smart).
Pairing Samberg and Smart is a solid casting choice. The two have been delivering standout comedy projects in recent years. Samberg starred on the hit series Brooklyn Nine-Nine and the breakout indie flick Palm Springs, which played around with the concept of time a bit. (It’s fun. Watch it.) Smart, for her part, has racked up rave reviews on HBO with Watchmen, Hacks, and Mare of Easttown. She can currently be seen in Damien Chazelle’s Babylon because, again, putting Jean Smart in anything is always a good call.
Anyway, if Marty McFly can go back in time in Back to the Future and kind of date his mom, Andy Samberg gets to freeze himself and date Jean Smart in the future. That’s only fair. And a lot less troublesome. It’s kind of wholesome, actually. Good for them. And good for us, too, because we get to watch it.
(Via The Hollywood Reporter)