I have to admit, I wasn't crazy about this idea when they first announced it -- basically, a take on The Six Million Dollar Man, except the government only throws a measly $40,000 into this experiment. Great. Will Ferrell, Jack Black -- throw one of them in there, and it's just another doofy spring comedy. But now that The Hollywood Reporter tells us Terry Zwigoff will be directing, my anticipation meter just shot up. Zwigoff doesn't take on just any project; he's not one of those directors who's shoveling out a film every year. I guess you could say he's somewhat of an odd fellow, but I've loved each and every one of his films for different reasons. They're all slightly off, slightly warped -- each finding its own cult audience over time, with one (Bad Santa) hitting the right chords with more of the mainstream crowd, yet even that film could be deemed "out there."

But the news gets even better -- apparently Zwigoff, aside from directing the flick, will help re-write the script alongside his Ghost World partner Dan Clowes (both were nominated for a Best Adapted Screenplay Oscar for their work on that film's script). For those that adored Ghost World (and I know there's a ton of you out there), this is probably wonderful news -- even if it does sound like an odd project for the duo to take on. As I alluded to before, The $40,000 Man centers on an astronaut who's injured in a horrific crash and then re-built by the government on a shoe-string budget of $40,000. Zwigoff last helmed Art School Confidential, which I remember starting out as this goofy, mainstream teen comedy before turning into something completely different. One thing's for sure here -- however you think this film is going to end up, it will most likely go in the exact opposite direction. And I cannot wait.