Carell, Fey ready for 'Date Night'

Shawn Levy to direct Fox comedy

By MICHAEL FLEMING

Steve Carell and Tina Fey are set to play a married couple in "Date Night," a 20th Century Fox comedy to be directed by Shawn Levy.

Josh Klausner wrote the script, based on an idea by Levy, whose 21 Laps will produce. Story follows a couple who find their routine date night becomes much more than just dinner and a movie.

Pic will begin production next year, with the exact start date predicated on matching a scheduling hiatus from Carell’s sitcom "The Office" and Fey’s "30 Rock."

Levy, who is shooting Fox’s "Night at the Museum 2: Battle of the Smithsonian," intends the pic to be his next directing assignment.

"I wanted to do a relatable, grounded character comedy about marriage and the lengths we go to preserve the spark," Levy told Daily Variety. "Tina and Steve are smart and relatable, and the tone of their comedy perfectly fits this film."

Both Carell and Fey are up for Emmys for their sitcom work, and their NBC shows are competing in the comedy category.

Carell is coming off Warner Bros. laffer "Get Smart." Fey most recently starred in the Universal hit comedy "Baby Mama" and recently wrapped production opposite Ricky Gervais on "This Side of the Truth." Fey is also starring in a series of American Express TV commercials alongside Martin Scorsese.

Endeavor repped the trio. Fey is managed by 3 Arts and Carell by Media Four.

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