When a genre is hot at the box office, there's bound to be a few spoof movies released in the hopes of cashing in on the trend. So it's no surprise that yet another comedic poke at superheroes is on its way to the big screen. Variety reported last night that Rainn Wilson, Ellen Page, and Liv Tyler will team up for Super, a comedy about an average guy (Wilson) with no powers who dons a superhero costume after his wife (Tyler) falls under the spell of a drug dealer.
Shortly following the announcement, the writer and director of Super, James Gunn, updated his personal website to reflect the news.
I have never loved a screenplay more than Super and have been working on it for years. Rainn and I have been working together on the project for a few months now — Rainn will be playing the lead role of Frank D'Arbo who dresses up as a superhero called the Crimson Bolt; he's got no superpowers other than a pipe wrench.
This is not a wacky, over-the-top comedy. Super is a dark, comedic, gritty, very unusual, and grounded film and I think Ted is just the guy to help us get it done right. Being that this is a low-budget, independent movie that takes a lot of risks, Rainn, Ted, and I didn't really expect to get big names for the other cast members — so you can imagine how shocked we were to get our first choices for the two female leads — Ellen Page and Liv Tyler! They're both amazing actresses and awesome people and I can't wait to work with them!! Liv will be playing Sarah, Frank's wife, who leaves him for a drug dealer, and Ellen will play the role of Libby, a young sociopath who dons a costume and forces herself into Frank's life as his "kid sidekick."
Gunn went on to say that Super will be "The Passion for rebels, oddballs, fanboys, and freaks everywhere." Production is expected to begin in December.