If Empire had its way, the wonderful Jason Bateman would star in just about every film going – and clearly, his Juno director Jason Reitman is of the same opinion. For he’s just cast the Arrested Development star in his new movie, Up In The Air*.
Bateman will play the boss of George Clooney’s character, a corporate downsizer who becomes obsessed with collecting a million frequent flier miles, for the DreamWorks comedy, which is currently filming.
It’s another supporting role for Bateman, who has been so reliable in the likes of Hancock, The Kingdom and Dodgeball: A True Underdog Story. But there’s good news on the horizon – he’s just wrapped one lead role, in Mike Judge’s Extract, with another – Baster, opposite Jennifer Aniston – about to go.
Then there’s the long-awaited Arrested Development, in which he’ll lead the ensemble cast as Michael Bluth, while Joe Carnahan is also set to direct Remarkable Fellows, a comedy based on an original idea by Bateman.
All of which means that Empire might well have its all-Bateman, all-the-time way after all. Thanks, Hollywood!
Not to be confused with the 1994 Kevin Bacon basketball comedy, The Air Up There. Or, indeed, track 8 of REM's album Up, entitled You're In The Air.