The prospect of another wacky Adam Sandler comedy isn’t one that we particularly relish round these parts, at least not unless it has some redeeming features, like 50 First Dates.
But the news that he’s teaming up with two of the sharpest comedy writing talents in the business does at least offer the glimmer of hope that the final product could be something decent.
Which is why we’re excited at the prospect of You Don’t Mess With The Zohan. Because for this comedy, a tale of an Israeli Mossad agent who fakes his own death, heads to New York and becomes a hair stylist, he’s co-writing with Judd Apatow and Robert Smigel.
Apatow’s name will be familiar to anyone who loved The 40-Year-Old Virgin and his producing work on Anchorman and Talladega Nights. And Smigel is best known for being the hand (and the mouth) behind Triumph The Insult Comic Dog. While their input doesn’t necessarily guarantee quality (Apatow did script polishing on Fun With Dick And Jane, and that turned out a mess), you at least get the feeling that Sony made a smart move plunking down the cash to buy it and push it into Sandler’s list of upcoming acting jobs. The plan is – once a director’s in place – to shoot this summer in LA and New York for a summer 2008 slot.
