The Will Ferrell–John C. Reilly machine seemed unstoppable when Step Brothers arrived in 2008, itself coming only two years after their other Adam McKay collaboration, Talladega Nights. If the endless cable repeats of either — and, no less, the flurry of Twitter and Facebook quoting which inevitably follows — were to be any indication, there’s still some gas left in the tank for mainstream American comedy’s loudest, most joyously stupid pairing.
We have genuine hope, then, for Devil’s Night, a project which TheWrap tell us both Ferrell and Reilly are expected to headline for Sony and the former’s own Gary Sanchez Productions. The project, scripted by Jarrad Paul and Andrew Mogel, is set on October 30, when neighborhood kids take it upon themselves to cause mischief — something two adults, Leonard and Gabe, knew well as children, but have come to regret after it destroyed their friendship. For whatever reason — I doubt you’ll need a world of explanation; it’s all about payoff, anyway — the pair are forced “to save their neighborhood from utter destruction” when the situation grows deadly.
Because I so greatly enjoy the work / infantile shouting these two have taken part in, my expectations for Devil’s Night have almost no (if any) correlation to a workable narrative. Would it be nice to get something (or anything) meaty? Well, sure, but that’s just a natural hope and expectation; in general, with this type of deal, yours truly is mostly looking out for a worthwhile companion to something of the Step Brothers and Talladega Nights variety, and I’ve little sufficient reason to think they can’t make a repeat. With any luck, they’re back together in short time — if, even, by the end of this year.
Do you hope to see Ferrell and Reilly make another onscreen pairing? How does Devil’s Knight strike you, generally speaking?