VARIETY
By Dave McNary
Mar 11, 2010

Relativity to co-finance sketch comedy series

Relativity Media has signed on to an untitled sketch comedy project that had been in development with Peter Farrelly and Charles Wessler.

Relativity said Thursday it will serve as a co-financier and co-producer on the project and arrange distribution through one of its studio partners. Company has slate deals at Sony and Universal and an output deal at Lionsgate.

Project's a series of sketches in the style of "Kentucky Fried Movie" and "The Groove Tube." Stars on board include Elizabeth Banks, Gerard Butler, Kieran Culkin, Hugh Jackman, Johnny Knoxville, Christopher Mintz-Plasse, Chloe Moretz, Liev Schreiber, Seann William Scott, Tony Shalhoub, Emma Stone, Matt Walsh, Patrick Warburton, Naomi Watts and Kate Winslet.

Production on the pic has already started and will continue through late May. Project was originally announced in late 2008 with Overture Films and A Bigger Boat developing an untitled feature produced by Farrelly and Wessler that would consist of two dozen comedy shorts.

Current producers include Farrelly, Wessler, GreeneStreet Films' John Penotti and Relativity Media's Ryan Kavanaugh.

Exec producers are Tim Williams of GreeneStreet Films and Tucker Tooley of Relativity Media with Tom Gormican and Marc Ambrose co-producing.

Witness Protection Films is also a production company partner.

Relativity joined the project earlier this year as the producers came up with a thematic thread to unify the sketches. Filmmakers who have already completed their work include Farrelly, Brett Ratner, Elizabeth Banks, Bob Odenkirk and Griffin Dunne.
Farrelly and Wessler teamed previously on "There's Something About Mary," "Dumb and Dumber" and "Shallow Hal."