Will Ferrell and Paul Rudd are reteaming for a new TV series.
The stars of Anchorman (and its sequel) are set to topline and executive produce the limited series The Shrink Next Door. The dark comedy, which is based on the 2019 Wondery and Bloomberg Media podcast of the same name, will be shopped to premium cable networks (i.e., HBO) and streamers (like Netflix) by studio Media Rights Capital.
Based on the podcast, which was inspired by true events, The Shrink Next Door follows the bizarre relationship between psychiatrist to the stars Dr. Isaac "Ike" Herschkopf (Rudd) and his longtime patient Martin "Marty" Markowitz (Ferrell). During the course of their relationship, the all-too-charming Ike slowly takes over Marty’s life, even moving into Marty’s home and assuming control of his family business. The series explores how a seemingly normal doctor-patient dynamic morphs into an unprecedentedly exploitative one filled with manipulation, power grabs and dysfunction at its finest.
Michael Showalter, who previously worked with Rudd on the Wet Hot American Summer franchise, will direct and executive produce alongside writer Georgia Pritchett. Other exec producers include Gloria Sanchez Productions' Jessica Elbaum and Brittney Segal, Semi-Formal's Jordana Mollick, Wondery's Hernan Lopez and Marshall Lewy, and Bloomberg's Francesca Levy, while Joe Nocera will co-exec produce. The series is additionally produced by Civic Center Media.
Rudd is fresh off of a Golden Globe nomination for season one of the Netflix comedy Living With Yourself, on which he played twins. A decision about a potential second season of the IFC-turned-Netflix series has not been made, though sources say Rudd only had a one-season deal for the show. Other credits include Avengers: Endgame. He will next be seen in Jason Reitman's Ghostbusters: Afterlife, which is due out July 10.
Ferrell, for his part, spent seven seasons on Saturday Night Live and counts Elf, Step Brothers and Stranger Than Fiction among his long list of credits. Since leaving SNL, he has focused on executive producing TV series via Gloria Sanchez and its male-focused sibling banner Gary Sanchez. Ferrell's producing credits include the HBO breakout Succession and Netflix's Dead to Me, among others. This would be his first TV series-regular gig since SNL.
Showalter and his Semi-Formal banner, meanwhile, are behind the Showtime pilot Big Deal, starring Vanessa Bayer, and the TBS-turned-HBO Max comedy Search Party.
Pritchett, meanwhile, counts HBO's Succession, Veep and Avenue 5 among her credits.
Civic Center Media counts fellow MRC Television series The Outsider at HBO and Hulu's upcoming The Great, starring Elle Fanning, among its projects. The two companies recently announced development of The Terminal List, starring Chris Pratt. That series will also be shopped to premium cable networks and streamers.
MRC is a division of Valence Media, the parent company of the Billboard-Hollywood Reporter Media Group.
