Will Ferrell might once again be portraying a two-term Republican president with a penchant for cowboy hats. The comedian is attached as the lead for a screenplay about President Ronald Reagan that has been making the rounds in Hollywood, Variety reports. According to the logline for Mike Rosolio’s Reagan on the 2015 Black List, “When Ronald Reagan falls into dementia at the start of his second term, an ambitious intern is tasked with convincing the commander in chief that he is an actor playing the president in a movie.” Such is the popularity of the political satire that it was given a staged reading in L.A. last month, featuring performances from Lena Dunham, John Cho, Paul Scheer, and Josh Brolin as an aging, confused Reagan.
Ferrell, who will be producing the film under his and Adam McKay’s Gary Sanchez Productions banner, played President George W. Bush many times during his tenure on Saturday Night Live and ultimately spun the character out into a successful Broadway show, You’re Welcome America, which was broadcast on HBO. Based upon his less-than-flattering portrayal of that conservative icon, it’s probably safe to assume that this movie will not be garnering a lot of praise on Fox News.
This project is not to be confused with the still-in-development dramatic biopic Reagan, scripted by Howard Klausner and supposedly starring Wizards Of Waverly Place’s David Henrie as the young, moderately talented actor who would eventually redefine the Republican Party. That one, if it ever comes out, will probably be the one your NRA-supporting uncle ends up purchasing on Blu-ray.