Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson, Samuel L. Jackson, and Steve J. Coogan have been cast in The Other Guys, an upcoming Columbia Pictures comedy from writer/director Adam McKay (Step Brothers). The film was co-written by Chris Henchy, the man responsible for Land of the Lost. Coogan has been cast in the villain role in a picture that will feature

According to Variety:

“Johnson and Jackson [playing] an elite cop tandem whose exploits are the envy of the department and the second-tier fellow cops played by Will Ferrell and Mark Wahlberg.”

While the concept of the film sounds like the standard sandbox script to allow Ferrell to play, what’s interesting about The Other Guys is the cast surrounding him: Mark Wahlberg is not known for outrageous comedy (at least, the sort of comedy associated with McKay), nor is Jackson.

A cast of humorous action stars and full-fledged comedians suggests that we’re in for something more action-oriented than McKay’s usual fare, maybe similar to Tropic Thunder.

Wahlberg and Bale are ready to punch it out

It’s no surprise that every once in awhile you’ll hear of said movie falling through the cracks through it’s development stage, either being buried forever or being revived in some way shape or form again. Such is the case with Paramount Pictures and Relativity Media’s latest film, The Fighter. Having gone through one big name Tinseltown star after another to throw into the ring, the film eventually silenced when Matt Damon dropped out and Darren Aronofsky trickled away, leaving Brad Pitt to sit on his hands.

Now, breathing new life with director David O. Russell (I Heart Huckabees) and re-filling the roles of the two main characters with Terminator Salvation star Christian Bale and Max Payne’s Mark Wahlberg, the film is well underway in pre-production again. The film revolves around the story of Boston fighter “Irish” Mickey Ward (Mark Wahlberg) and how he was helped to the world lightweight championship by half-brother Dicky Eklund (Christian Bale). Eklund once decked Sugar Ray Leonard and went the distance against the boxing legend before forfeiting his career to drugs and crime. He redeemed himself by training Ward through his Rocky-like run to the title.

This film will once again reunite Wahlberg and Russell together, having previously worked on films like I Heart Huckabees and Three Kings. Initial filming is set for july with a to be announced 2011 release date.

With all of the lack of love surrounding M. Night and his movies lately, I really hope for his sake that his movie is going to rock. From early reviews though, it seems to suck big time. With his first rated R piece, we should see a little more of his twisted, supposedly masterful mind at work in The Happening.

Click the photo below for the extended trailer from his upcoming film The Happening.

Below I have included the redband Exclusive to Jo Blo – its rater R folks and quite disturbing.

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