20th Century Fox
The golden age of female-driven comedy that the 2011 release of Bridesmaids apparently seemed to maybe, possibly, I dunno, it’s just something we all wanted hail hasn’t exactly panned out. Yes, since Bridesmaids, we’ve gotten hits like The Heat, Pitch Perfect, and Bachelorette (a film I have personally softened on over the years). We’ve been lucky enough to enjoy the further comedic stylings of Bridesmaids stars like Rebel Wilson, Rose Byrne, and Melissa McCarthy. Maya Rudolph has her own variety show! Kristen Wiig has attempted to move into more dramatic territory (with limited returns), before course correcting into darker comedies (like the Sundance hit The Skeleton Twins, which is a winner, through and through).
Still, despite the proven appeal of female-led comedies – Bridesmaids made over $288m; The Heat pulled in over $229m; and even The Other Woman is currently “overperforming at the box office,” after making almost $100m in just two weeks in release – we’re still not getting a massive glut of the films we all seem to want.
But that just means that we need to keep mining the films we are getting and raising them up. And we just might have found the next big winner.
Variety reports that Other Woman star Leslie Mann (and true MVP of the film, which is not nearly as funny or clever as Bridesmaids or The Heat, it has to be noted) has already lined up her next gut-busting outing, a comedy titled Las Madres that is set to hit the big screen with a lady-centric and female-friendly plotline. The outlet also reports that Mann is set to be joined by Octavia Spencer in the feature, which requires not one funny lady, not two, but three (and, yes, we’re still waiting for news on that third leading lady).
The film centers on “three unemployed friends who decide their only chance at economic opportunity in today’s climate is to go after a criminal with a reward for his capture.” You guys, they might have guns and stuff.
The feature has been written by Lona Williams from her own original pitch and is already getting a rewrite from Pam Brady.
Williams, though not a big name in the comedy world, has got the skills to make this work – her background includes a writing stint on The Drew Carey Show, a producing credit on the bad-gal-centric Sugar & Spice, and also she happened to write a little something called Drop Dead Gorgeous (which seems to be approaching cult classic territory with every passing year). Brady’s resume is even stronger – she’s penned films like Hamlet 2, Team America: World Police, and Hot Rod, and her television work includes writing and producing on shows like The Loop and South Park. These are some very funny ladies.
Mann’s comedic career is certainly on the rise (and has been for some time), and her full-bodied work in The Other Woman is a new high mark for her laugh-getting, even if the film itself is not one of her best. Her combination of relatable worrying and spastic body work is endearing and charming, and Mann’s ability to make it work in a wide range of films is admirable. Spencer, too, is a force to be reckoned with, and while she’s best known for dramatic stuff, she’s got a grace and sweetness that should work pretty well in a straight (wo)man capacity.
Now here’s a question – who should star alongside Mann and Spencer? (We’re pulling for Rebel Wilson.)
