Dueling magicians: Steve Carell versus Jim Carrey in Burt Wonderstone?

Several years ago, Steve Carell was stealing scenes from an overpaid Jim Carrey in BRUCE ALMIGHTY.

Now it’s Carrey who migh be joining a Carell vehicle, the New Line comedy BURT WONDERSTONE. Carell is playing the titular magician, a fading old-school Vegas stage performer who finds his thunder stolen by a hotshot “street magician” — a role that would seem like a perfect match for Carrey’s animated antics.

(Although since his role is unspecified by Deadline, it’s conceivable that Carrey could be playing Carell’s partner, whom he loses to become a solo act.)

Interestingly, Carrey was previously circling the lead part of the aging magician, while a younger actor was being sought to play the David Blaine-style adversary.

The movie is being directed by TV regular Don Scardino (“30 Rock”), with a script that started with HORRIBLE BOSSES writers John Francis Daley and Jonathan Goldstein before Jason Reitman (JUNO) took a crack at it.