I reviewed the Night at the Museum DVD a few weeks back and was impressed with director Shawn Levy. Then I learned he was directing The Hardy Men, with Tom Cruise and Ben Stiller and I said to myself “this guy’s a baller.”
Now? I don’t know. I’m confused. Why? Well, the news from Variety is:
Shawn Levy will begin lensing coming-of-age dramedy “The Way Back” for Fox Searchlight in mid-June from a script by tyro scribes Nat Faxon and Jim Rash.
The part that throws me is those two writers. They’re actors, and ones with good credits, but they’ve never written anything of note before. Plus, here is the synopsis:
Rash and Faxon’s script tells the poignant story of a teenage boy who comes into his own over the course of one summer though an unlikely friendship with the man in charge of a local water park. The boy is able to reconnect with his mom and find the courage to stand up to his bullying stepfather.
Does that sound fantastic to you? No, me neither. I’m guessing Levy has the best and brightest lining up to help him after Night at the Museum‘s astonishing $250m success but let’s not forget that he also directed The Pink Panther. That’s not something we take lightly around here.
Shawn, you’re on super secret probation starting now. Don’t let us down.
