Zwigoff gets $40,000

Terry Zwigoff (BAD SANTA) has signed on to direct the upcoming New Line comedy THE $40,000 MAN. The film is a parody of “The Six Million Dollar Man” and centers around an astronaut who’s injured in a car accident and rebuilt by the government on a meager budget of $40,000. Zwigoff will also rewrite the existing script with frequent collaborator Daniel Clowes. It’s good to see Zwigoff back to some goofy comedy because his last film, ART SCHOOL CONFIDENTIAL, was a real disappointment. I loved what Zwigoff brought to BAD SANTA and how he made a film that could’ve been a throwaway raunchy comedy and turned it into a holiday classic (at least at my house). And for those of you only aware of BAD SANTA on Zwigoff’s resume, I highly suggest checking out both GHOST WORLD (old school Scarlett Johansson) and the documentary CRUMB. Both great movies, though don’t expect anything quite like SANTA. No word yet on when filming might begin but Zwigoff and Clowes are currently working on the script so probably not until early 2008.