New Will Ferrell Movie To Begin Production In August; Plot Details For ‘The House’

After a triumphant return in the “Saturday Night Live” 40th anniversary special as Alex Trebek, New Line Cinema has announced Will Ferrell as the new star and producer of the upcoming comedy “The House.” The script comes from the highly-sought after team behind last year’s Seth Rogen and Zac Efron summer comedy, “Neighbors,” Andrew J. Cohen and Brendan O’Brien. New Line Cinema is aiming for an August start date on production.

Like an older version of “Neighbors,” “The House” is about a couple struggling with parenting choices. Will Ferrell will play the patriarch of a family who loses their daughter’s college savings. To recoup the lost funds, the couple schemes with their neighbors to run an illegal gambling den in their basement.

Ferrell will co-produce with longtime collaborator and former "SNL" alum Adam McKay. Cohen will make his big screen directorial debut with “The House.” He previously directed short films and sketches for Ferrell and McKay’s popular website, Funny or Die. Is it too much to hope for a another Robert DeNiro theme party scene a la “Neighbors?”

Cohen and O’Brien have another movie in the works as well. “Mike and Dave Need Wedding Dates” will star Efron and “Pitch Perfect” star Adam DeVine. Fox has plans to release the film in July 2016. Will Ferrell has three new movies lined up for 2015: “Get Hard” with Kevin Hart, “Daddy’s Home” and “Zeroville.”