Since its cancellation in 2006, fans of the extremely cult-hit Arrested Development have been clamoring for a film continuation to their beloved series. In the years since, the project has been off and on more times than Edward and Bella’s wedding plans, but today series creator Mitch Hurwitz, along with the rest of the cast at The New Yorker Festival dropped some news that should send all fans into a tail spin. If the announcement is to believed, it has been confirmed that the series is set to return for a 9-10 episode mini-series that would lead directly into a motion picture. The mini-series would serve the purpose of explaining what all the various lead characters have been doing for the last five years and each episode would focus on a single character. In addition to this, Deadline was able to obtain information that Showtime and Netflix were in talks with 20th Century Fox Television (who owns the property) to broadcast the mini-series which is supposedly set for an early 2013 air date. Got all that? Good, because here’s the hitch…

Episodes and seasons and weeks after its inspiration and its humor have peaked, I still continue to watch new episodes of The Office week in and week out. I don’t know why – I never do this with dramatic shows, only with comedies – but I tend to stick with comedy shows whose legacy I appreciate even if their time has passed, either out of respect, blind hope, or simply the desire to have some noise in the room while I take a break to eat a meal or fold laundry. While The Office certainly isn’t what it used to be, even before Steve Carell left, it’s still an inoffensive and enjoyable way to pass some time. I can’t deny that the affinity I developed for the show’s characters early on in the series has carried me through a lot of its creative droughts (in other words, I hardly watch it only for its comedy) even as more recent network sitcoms like Modern Family, Community, and (especially) Parks and Recreation have made me LOL significantly more often. But in the bizarre cameos leading up to a strange and dry seventh season finale, The Office seems to have encountered much greater problems than a rudimentary lack of inspiration typical for the (possibly cyclical) lifespan of a long-running television show. The Office seems to have rejected the defining characteristics that made it unique in the first place.

This week, Fat Guy Kevin Carr found himself awake on a distant planet being hunted by macho Rastafarian aliens. Then he realized he was still dreaming. Sucked back into reality, he dove into the 3D experience of Despicable Me and reached for a dunce cap for Predators.

I’ve been looking forward to Despicable Me for a while; having seen trailers, the 3D animated film out of Universal looked like it had the potential to be a lot of fun. While I was far from unhappy with the final product, what seems increasingly to be a universal truth surfaced once again — all computer animated film fare is measured against the visual and storytelling juggernaut that is Pixar… and they remain the unwavering king of the mountain. Despicable Me is the story of Gru (Steve Carrell), a past-his-prime villain heavy on unsavory aspirations but lacking in execution. One day Gru learns that every baddie, himself included, have been left eating dust when a mystery evil genius steals one of the Great Pyramids. Not content to be outdone, Gru devises a plan to infiltrate a secret base, swipe their experimental shrink ray, and steal the moon.

This week, Fat Guy Kevin Carr opens up his toy box to look at Toy Story 3D and Jonah Hex.

It pains me to report such news, but if actor and comedian David Cross is to be believed — and we have no reason not to believe him at this point — the Arrested Development movie is dead in the water.

Kevin Carr sits his chubbiness down and sees if Edge of Darkness and When in Rome can make the grade.

Neil is still off galavanting at Sundance TwentyTen, so Kevin welcomes Merrill Barr from The Film Stage to the Magical Studio in the Sky to talk about Edge of Darkness and When In Rome.

When any member of the Arrested Development cast speaks, the press listens. Even when they’re saying nothing of consequence.

Justin Theroux is taking his brand of humor (and Will Arnett) to space. He’s also going to be doing it with a romantic comedy twist.

Liz begins to see the negative ripple effects from her book “Dealbreakers” – especially from an aggravated Tracy Jordan – while Jack struggles to find a way to make GE profitable to appease President Obama’s Microwave and Small Appliances Task Force headed up by his arch-enemy Devon Banks.

IFC Films and Apple have revealed the first trailer for the John Krasinski directed film Brief Interview with Hideous Men this morning. You should check it out…

Universal Pictures has released the first trailer for their upcoming animated comedy Despicable Me, which stars an all-star cast led by Steve Carell.

In the series premier of Sit Down, Shut Up, the latest addition to Fox’s Sunday night “Animation Domination” line-up, the dimwitted and largely demented faculty of Knob Haven High School, discover a bottle of what they believe to be steroids in a student’s locker.

Have you ever wondered what it would be like to see some group action with the Olsen twins and Will Arnett? Well, here’s your chance… sort of.

The Hollywood trades are reporting today that comedic journeyman Will Arnet and Oscar nominated creepy guy Michael Shannon have signed on to join Jonah Hex, the Jimmy Hayward directed comic adaptation about a scarred bounty hunter tracking a voodoo practitioner across the wild, wild west.

After a horrifying accident with a glowing meteorite turns Susan Murphy (voiced by Reese Witherspoon) into a giant, she’s drugged and imprisoned by the government in a secret facility run by General W.R. Monger (voiced by Kiefer Sutherland) where she meets some of the strange monsters our government has kept secret for years.

Courtesy of the fine people at Vanity Fair is a gallery titled “Comedy’s New Legends,” which features some beautifully-inspired photography of whom VF considers to be the important cultural heroes of contemporary comedy, with a brief discussion of how and why they have attained that status.

One of the things Sundance is known for is its ability to discover and launch new voices in the world of film. After screening his directorial debut, I can say with conviction that John Krasinski is going to be one of those new and unique voices.

Dreamworks’ upcoming animated film Monsters vs. Aliens is shaping up to be their funniest release yet. Sure it’s directed by Rob Letterman, the writer/director of the abysmal Shark Tale, but the man seems to have learned a lot since then.