Will Ferrell to join Julia Louis-Dreyfus for Force Majeure remake

Last Updated on July 30, 2021

Former SNL funnyman Will Ferrell has been cast to star opposite Julia Louis-Dreyfus (VEEP, SEINFELD) in DOWNHILL, A Likely Story's remake of Ruben Ostlund’s beloved Swedish comedic drama FORCE MAJEURE. In the film, a seemingly picture-perfect family is forced to re-evaluate their lives after barely escaping an avalanche during a ski vacation in the Alps. Set to direct the rib-tickling emotional rollercoaster are Nat Faxon (BAD TEACHER, CLUB DREAD) and COMMUNITY alum Jim Rash. With several supporting roles yet to be cast, the film intends to begin shooting in Austria in early 2019. Dreyfus is producing the pic alongside Anthony Bregman (ETERNAL SUNSHINE OF THE SPOTLESS MIND), courtesy of a script written by Jesse Armstrong (FOUR LIONS, IN THE LOOP).

“Obviously, Searchlight is like family at this point. We’re honored to be working with them for a third time. But, to also have our paths cross with Julia, and a fellow Groundling alum in Will, makes this all the more special and exciting for us,” Faxon and Rash told Deadline, who exclusively broke the news earlier today.

“Downhill is a tale of bad judgment and moral weakness, so how fitting that Julia Louis-Dreyfus and Will Ferrell embody those values. Nat Faxon and Jim Rash, of course, are more than qualified to capture the fallout,” said Bregman.

It was only a few years ago that the 2014 original film won the Cannes Un Certain Regard Jury Prize, before being left off the ballot for a Best Foreign Language film award at the Oscars. In the time since Ostlund's acclaimed comedy was recognized for its excellence, he'd released THE SQUARE, another comedy-drama starring Claes Bang (THE BRIDGE), Elizabeth Moss (MAD MEN, THE HANDMAID'S TALE), and Dominic West (PUNISHER: WAR ZONE, TOMB RAIDER), among others. In THE SQUARE, a prestigious Stockholm museum's chief art curator finds himself in times of both professional and personal crisis as he attempts to set up a controversial new exhibit.

Fans of Will Ferrell can look forward to seeing him team up with John C. Reilly, once again, for Etan Cohen's HOLMES & WATSON, a humorous take on Sir Arthur Conan Doyle's classic mysteries featuring Sherlock Holmes and Doctor Watson, set to arrive in theaters on December 21st.