Picture this: Jeff Goldblum plays one half of a legendary music duo that flames out due to the partner’s longstanding hatred for one another. However, they have to reunite and work through their issues with the help of the people close to them. Ready for the kicker? The other half of the duo is Danny DeVito.
This raises the questions of what? How? Also, do you take checks?
That’s the premise behind a new comedy series being developed by Amazon, Entertainment Weekly reports. The project is being worked on with the two longstanding actors with the assistance of veteran writer Tim Long, best known for his work on The Simpsons since 1999 and The Late Show with David Letterman.
The two musicians, most likely reuniting for money (or, A.V. Club guesses, the Make-A-Wish Foundation), are forced to set aside a longstanding dislike of one another reminiscent of Simon and Garfunkel. The stubborn duo must work with their closest companions, mostly ex-wives and past lovers, to make their reunion work. Unfortunately, the people they’ve turned to are just as hard-headed as the artists themselves.
As insane as the concept of Danny DeVito the folk singer sounds, fans will remember that he has played all manner of characters from Batman villain The Penguin opposite Michael Keaton to the long lost brother of Arnold Schwarzenegger in Twins. He also partnered with Schwarzenegger in Junior, but we’ll gloss over that point. The point is, if he can play an iconic villain and a small time crook, chances are he’ll bring the same wit and charm to his role as Arlo Finkleman in the Amazon project.
Goldblum has also appeared in a plethora of films ranging from thrillers to Bill Murray comedies, but his best work is arguably as a master of Zen or comic relief. If his Matt Downey is the Paul Simon of this group, then that’s a big step in the right direction.
A big question that the new series’ development begs is whether or not its inception spells the end of DeVito’s long run as Frank Reynolds on FXX’s It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia as the incorrigible father of Dennis and Dee Reynolds. The actor has hinted that this coming season might be his last, but FXX told Entertainment Weekly that DeVito is still fully committed to their program. Per co-star Kaitlin Olsen however, the 13th season of Sunny has been postponed a year.
A.V. Club also notes that DeVito will executive produce the series along with his son, Jake, and Brian Grazer and Francie Calfo of Imagine TV.
As of now the series does not have a set timeframe or even a name. However, due to the attachment of so many high profile faces, it’s probably best that you stay tuned with mxdwn Television for further information regarding Amazon’s Danny DeVito and Jeff Goldblum project.