It’s been a crummy year for science fiction/comedy cross over movies. First we learned that we wouldn’t get to see a clean and rad and powerful Jump Street sequel that tied in with the Men In Black franchise, and now Universal has just removed an astronauts and aliens movie starring Seth Rogen, Bill Hader, and Zach Galifianakis from their 2017 schedule.
The film, tentatively titled The Something, was set to be the directorial debut of 22 Jump Street writer Rodney Rothman. According to sources that talked to Variety, the project was shelved over concerns about the budget. That may be the result of yet another sci-fi/comedy crossover underpeforming: the Ghostbusters reboot, which only made $180 million when it needed $300 million to break even.
“Only $180 million” is a kinda silly thing to have to write, and perhaps that incident was a wake up call to other Hollywood studios. Stars like Melissa McCarthy, Kristen Wiig, Seth Rogen, and Zach Galifianakis may just be better suited to films with $50 million dollar budgets rather than blockbuster extravaganzas that require box office domination around the globe to barely break even.
Whatever the case, it looks like we won’t be getting whatever something The Something was going to be. Perhaps a more modestly budgeted version will end up being put together, but for right now, Seth, Bill, and Zach are going to be stuck on earth.
