Bridesmaids star Melissa McCarthy to steal Jason Bateman’s identity in ID Theft

I think we can all agree that Jason Bateman is a really funny guy. He was rightly thrust back into the spotlight with “Arrested Development” and has been headlining all number of comedies since then. So how come none of them have been very funny? There have been a few films that have been amusing like this summer’s HORRIBLE BOSSES but mostly he’s been stuck in films like THE CHANGE-UP, THE SWITCH, PAUL and COUPLES RETREAT that waste his considerable talent. But now Bateman is looking to start producing his own films and has brought on a surprising co-star for his next film.

Bateman is producing the comedy ID THEFT and is set to star in the film about an innocent guy who gets his life co-opted by a crazy guy. Except Bateman has decided to rewrite the script for BRIDESMAIDS star Melissa McCarthy. Instead of being stalked by a crazy guy, McCarthy will instead star as a crazy woman who has been slowly stealing Bateman’s identity.

Steve Conrad, known more for his dramas like THE WEATHER MAN than his comedies, wrote the script with Craig Mazan, known more for his comedies like THE HANGOVER, PART II. No director is attached yet but McCarthy is set to make it her first film after finishing the upcoming season of “Mike & Molly” on CBS (how quickly can we break her out of that contract?). It’s unclear what this means for some of the other projects McCarthy is developing including the romantic comedy she was prepping with Jon Hamm and another Stanley Cup heist film with Judd Apatow and Paul Feig.