Was it beginner’s luck, or is Seth MacFarlane the new R-rated comedy king? With his feature directorial debut “Ted” taking over $540 million worldwide last year, it certainly went way above and beyond what anyone was expecting of a movie with a talking, foul-mouthed teddy bear and Mark Wahlberg. And Universal is hoping MacFarlane will do it again with “A Million Ways To Die In The West.” The film carries another high-concept premise, except there will be a couple of small changes: MacFarlane himself will take the lead role, and it will boast even more stars than his last effort.
Charlize Theron, Liam Neeson, Amanda Seyfried, Sarah Silverman, Giovanni Ribisi and Neil Patrick Harris will star in the movie alongside MacFarlane in the always tricky genre of the western comedy. Here’s the official synopsis:
After a cowardly sheep farmer backs out of a gunfight, his fickle girlfriend leaves him for another man. When a mysterious and beautiful woman rides into town, she helps him find his courage and they begin to fall in love. But when her husband, a notorious outlaw, arrives seeking revenge, the farmer must put his newfound courage to the test.
What do you think? Is that premise wild enough to work? Can MacFarlane carry a whole movie, when he could barely host the Oscars? Are we ready for live action MacFarlane or is his comedy better served through other actors and vehicles? We’ll find out shortly. “A Million Ways To Die In The West” opens on May 30, 2014 opposite Pixar‘s “The Good Dinosaur.”