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Jason Bateman and Melissa McCarthy Team Up for 'ID Theft' Comedy

by Ethan Anderton
August 16, 2011
Source: Deadline

After her breakout, scene-stealing performance in Bridesmaids, actress Melissa McCarthy snagged a role in Judd Apatow's new comedy starring Paul Rudd and Leslie Mann (reprising their roles from Knocked Up) and she might reteam with Paul Feig for another comedy with Jon Hamm. However, Deadline has word on McCarthy teaming up with another leading man with the actress joining Jason Bateman in a Universal comedy called ID Theft. The story originally followed a guy who gets his identity stolen by another man, but now it will be McCarthy stealing Bateman's identity as the script was retooled specifically for her.

Bateman is also producing the film which has a script from The Pursuit of Happyness writer Steve Conrad and rewrites from The Hangover Part II scribe Craig Mazin. Apparently it was the Horrible Bosses and The Change-Up star who decided to have the script changed after seeing McCarthy in Bridesmaids. Unfortunately, the actress won't be able to shoot the film until April 2012 when her sitcom "Mike & Molly" goes on hiatus for the summer. However, teaming up Bateman with a fresh new comedic face like McCarthy sounds like it will be worth the wait.

Filed under Casting, Development, Movie News

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