Zooey Deschanel is getting back in the rom-com game

There’s been much talk, in recent years, about the fate of the humble romantic comedy, and which avatars of human affability—mixed with just enough caustic comedy, sexual tension, and straight-up farce—could genuinely resurrect the form. (And, arguably, the mid-budget comedy movie in general, which has not had an especially easy go of it in the franchise blockbuster era, despite recent moderate successes like Glen Powell and Sydney Sweeney’s Anyone But You.) Now, one of the OGs is throwing her flowery crown back in the ring, with news that Zooey Deschanel has just signed on for a new rom-com titled Merv.

That’s right: Summer herself, of the infamous 500 Days, is getting back into the flirt/fight/farce mindset, signing on for a comedy about a couple who breaks up, but is then forced to take a Florida vacation together because their split is making their dog depressed. (We’re guessing said mournful pooch is Merv, unless, of course, Deschanel and her ex are both just fans of talk show hosts with a knack for creating enduring game shows that stand the test of time.) There’s no word yet on who’ll be starring opposite Deschanel, who most recently starred in Trolls Band Together, and stretched her rom-com legs pretty extensively during her eight years on New Girl on Fox, but they’ll have their work cut out for them matching her in the “Will they/won’t they/they did, and now they’re falling back in love so their dog won’t be sad” stakes.

Merv is being directed by Jessica Swale (Summerland, the Prime Video series Ten Percent), working off a script from Linsey Stewart and Dane Clark. The film is being produced for Amazon’s MGM Studios division.