Paul Feig will be continuing his recent trend of directing comedies led by a female cast with Susan Cooper. His 2011 female-led feature, Bridesmaids, was a mega success, bringing in $288 million. That film will be followed by The Heat later this month. After bridal parties and buddy cops, Feig’s new focus will be on a female spy who is said to be reminiscent of James Bond.
While not much can be said of the plot, Feig will be taking a more realistic approach, unlike other spy comedies such as Austin Powers or Johnny English. Similar to The Heat, two characters will lead the story. The possibility of creating a franchise is also being discussed.
In addition to directing, Feig has provided the script and will be producing. He was supposedly inspired by one of his favorite movies, the 1967 spoof Casino Royale starring Peter Sellers. If the two films have anything in common, Susan Cooper will surely receive divided reviews.
Feig currently has a project in the works with Reese Witherspoon titled Wish List, and another comedy focused on the relationship between a mother and daughter that was written by Katie Dippold of The Heat. However, he seems to be making more progress with Susan Cooper at the moment and it will likely be his next film.
Women are often ignored and disregarded when it comes to comedy and Feig has been defying that status quo. Movies like Bridesmaids and The Heat, with the assistance of brilliant and fearless female comedic actors like Melissa McCarthy, prove that actresses are capable of portraying more than the clumsy sidekick or the witty best friend. Perhaps Paul Feig will demonstrate this point even further in Susan Cooper. Judging by his current track record, we see no reason why he won’t.
