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Will Ferrell to star in Spanish-language film ‘Casa de mi Padre’

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In the culturally open-minded tradition of Steve Martin and Chevy Chase in ‘¡Three Amigos!’ and Jack Black in ‘Nacho Libre,’ Will Ferrell looks to become the latest Hollywood comic star to take a swipe at the Spanish language.

Variety reports Thursday that Ferrell will star in ‘Casa de mi Padre’ as a ranch owner’s son who’s trying to settle his father’s debts while struggling with a feared narco overlord played by Mexican actor Gael García Bernal. According to Variety, rights to the film have been obtained by Lionsgate’s Latino label, Pantelion Films.

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Diego Luna, who played opposite Bernal in Alfonso Cuarón’s coming-of-age drama ‘Y Tu Mamá También’ (2001), a landmark of modern Mexican cinema, as well as the dark comedy ‘Rudo y Cursi’ (2008), also will appear in ‘Casa.’

Matt Piedmont, who’ll direct, wisecracks to Variety that his and Ferrell’s ‘collective knowledge of the Spanish language amounts to what we learned during a half-hour Learning Annex class taken the night before production of the film began.’ But the project has promise. Spanish-language comedies with cross-border casting could play well with Latinos, who are among the fast-growing segment of U.S. theater audiences. Not to mention the marketing possibilities throughout Latin America, a part of the world where many movie theater chains are compelled to show disproportionate numbers of Hollywood films.

So who will laugh last? Vamos a ver.

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-- Reed Johnson

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