Way back in the spring of 2009, it was announced that Jonathan Levine was attached to direct “The Sitter” with Jonah Hill, then word on the project went quiet. Levine has wasted no time in moving on to other projects, developing the comic zombie adaptation “Warm Bodies” and stepping in for Nicole Holofcener to helm the currently filming untitled Seth Rogen cancer dramedy (aka “I’m With Cancer”).
We honestly sort of forgot about “The Sitter” but it now appears that David Gordon Green is set to continue in his recent vein of directing slacker comedies, by negotiating to take the director’s seat left vacant by Levine.
To refresh your memory, the film “follows a college student, suspended for the semester and living at home with his single mom, who has a night to remember when he gets talked into baby-sitting the eccentric kids next door: two boys and a wild 8-year-old girl.” If it reminds you of “Adventures In Babysitting” you wouldn’t be far off the mark because apparently that’s the vibe it’s going for.
For those of you who might be bummed that Green is taking on yet another Apatow branded comedy, it should be noted that the director had originally planned to tackle his southern gothic adaptation of the comic “Freaks Of The Heartland” next. Unfortunately, the financially ailing Overture put a halt on the production back in January to sort out their ledgers and who knows if or when that project will ever get back on track. As for Green’s planned remake of Dario Argento’s “Suspiria” that was slated to shoot this year, but we haven’t heard anything since and given that he’s now circling “The Sitter” we’re guessing the financing on that one hasn’t quite come together.
As for Hill, this is just another project on his already massive slate. This year, the actor already has the highly anticipated Duplass Brothers comedy “Cyrus” and the “Forgetting Sarah Marshall” spinoff, “Get Him To The Greek” hitting theaters. Add to that, he’s developing “The Adventurer’s Handbook” which he hopes to get in front of cameras later this year, and a reboot of “21 Jump Street” with an August 2011 release date already penciled in.
These are interesting (ie. depressing) times to be an auteur in Hollywood, but we hope by the time filming wraps on “The Sitter” opportunities will open up for Green to tackle some of the more interesting projects that are still simmering on the backburner.