Ellen DeGeneres – former sitcom star, Oscar host and current chat show queen – has signed on to star as Mother Nature in an untitled comedy for Walden Media.
Well, we say ‘untitled’, but we’d expect the movie to be officially named Mother Nature as soon as possible. After all, it will see DeGeneres play Mother Nature, who returns to Earth for the first time since the dawn of time – and, presumably, doesn’t like what she sees.
So it’ll be an eco-friendly comedy, we’re guessing. Al Gore will love it.
Not so sure about the rest of us, though. There’s a neat, why-haven’t-they-done-that-before?, simplicity to the central premise, but it also smacks of the likes of Bruce Almighty and its sequel, Evan Almighty, both effects-driven comedies that delivered on the former, but were woefully deficient in the latter.
As for DeGeneres’ casting… it’s bizarre. She’s a talented actress, and with Mother Nature generally portrayed as a more mature woman, she was one of the few actresses around who fit the bill. She was exceptional in Finding Nemo, but this is her first live-action lead role – and while she’s a big star in the States, it’s hard to imagine audiences flocking to see her in the movies.
Then again, you never know. And certainly Walden will be hoping that DeGeneres brings her legion of fans with her. The movie, an original idea which began within the walls of Walden Media, will be written by Jenny Bicks, and is being fast-tracked for a summer shoot. Unless, of course, Mother Nature intervenes and turns it into winter.