Vaughn
Dobkin
The "Wedding Crashers" team of Vince Vaughn and director David Dobkin are at the altar for "Fred Claus," a Warner Bros. holiday comedy about Santa's loser brother.
While negotiations are just beginning, deal should see Vaughn cement his status as a comedy-carrying star by reaching the $20 million salary mark for the first time. Dan Fogelman wrote the script and Dobkin is producing with Jessie Nelson.
Comedy revolves around Santa's black-sheep brother, who heads back to the North Pole and gets a chance to redeem himself.
Talks of a reteam between Vaughn and Dobkin began right after the "Wedding Crashers" director divorced himself from Universal's Adam Sandler-Kevin James comedy "I Now Pronounce You Chuck and Larry" (
Daily Variety, Feb. 23). Vaughn previously worked with Dobkin on "Clay Pigeons."
Dealmaking has just begun, but project is very likely to be Dobkin's next.
Guided by UTA and Gold-Miller, Vaughn initially transitioned from "Swingers" to dramas, but he found his niche as a comic everyman in the sleeper "Dodgeball." He followed with a showy role in "Mr. & Mrs. Smith" and then starred with Owen Wilson in "Wedding Crashers," a comedy that grossed $209 million domestically for New Line.
Vaughn next stars opposite Jennifer Aniston in the Universal comedy "The Break Up."
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