It's been a few years since we last heard about R-rated buddy comedy Ricky Stanicky. The spec script was written by Beverley Hills Chihuahua creator Jeff Bushell and was on the Hollywood Black List before being picked up by Summit Entertainment. It will undergo rewrites by new director Steve Oedekerk before the film goes into production.

The film is about three best friends who, as teenagers, invent an imaginary scapegoat friend upon whom they can blame all their wrongdoings, and therefore escape punishment by their parents. The scheme proves so successful that the guys continue their "friendship" with Ricky well into their adult lives, and it continues to be a useful tool - until one day their spouses demand the meet the mysterious troublemaker.

Deadline is reporting that Jim Carrey is now signed on to star in the lead role of Ricky Stanicky. Carrey had previously been on the fence about starring in the film, but Oedekerk - who directed him in Ace Ventura: When Nature Calls - recently signed on as well, and that seems to have clinched the deal. Carrey will take on the role of an out-of-work actor, hired by the three friends to play the role of "Ricky" in order to convince their wives that the man actually exists.

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The last we heard about Ricky Stanicky was back in 2010, when James Franco had agreed to star in the Stanicky role. At that time, Peyton Reed - who worked with Jim Carrey on Yes Man - was set to direct the film, so it's possible that that the producers have had Carrey in mind from the start. The actor was most recently seen in magician comedy The Incredible Burt Wonderstone, and will also soon return to another classic film in his resumé, with The Farrelly Brothers' sequel Dumb and Dumber To.

The reteaming of Carrey and Oedekerk is sure to pique a lot of interest in Ricky Stanicky, since Ace Ventura: When Nature Calls is  a fondly-remembered piece of '90s nostalgia for many people who are now old enough to get into R-rated movies without an accompanying adult.

It might be better to reserve judgment until we hear more about Ricky Stanicky, however. Oedekerk hasn't directed a feature since the lackluster animated talking-animal comedy Barnyard, in which Sam Elliot played a cow. Jim Carrey has also had more misses than hits in recent years, so it remains to be seen whether Ricky Stanicky and Dumb and Dumber To will be the films that rejuvenate his feature comedy bankability.

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We'll keep you updated on Ricky Stanicky as the project develops.

Source: Deadline