'MACGRUBER' HEADS TO BIG SCREEN; PHILLIPPE, KILMER IN TALKS (SCR, THR)

By Nancy Tartaglione

Another "Saturday Night Live" skit is about to hit the big screen. Relativity is preparing an August start on "MacGruber," based on the "SNL" sketch about an inept spy. Will Forte will make the feature leap with Kristen Wiig as his hapless sidekick. Val Kilmer and Ryan Phillippe are in negotiations to join the cast.

The "SNL" version was conceived as a parody of the TV show "MacGyver" and the movie is fast-tracked so that it could make it to the screen before a "MacGyver" movie, which is in development at New Line, notes The Hollywood Reporter.

According to THR, the film will take the story in a completely different direction from the skits, yet remain strangely familiar: The legendary, much decorated MacGruber is pulled out of retirement as a monk in Ecuador by a colonel, who needs him once more to fight on behalf of his country. This time the mission involves going up against the evil Cunth, who has a nuclear warhead; the mission is personal because Cunth killed MacGruber's bride.

Forte will write the screenplay with "SNL" colleagues Jorma Taccone, who will also direct, and John Solomon. Taccone directed most of the "MacGruber" skits for "SNL."

Relativity's Ryan Kavanaugh will produce with Lorne Michaels and John Goldwyn, while Relativity's Tucker Tooley serves as executive producer alongside Erin David and SNL head writer Seth Meyers.

Relativity's Rogue will distribute the film, most likely in 2010.