Anna Kendrick Joins Cancer Dramedy

By our guest blogger, Rob Stammitti

Anna Kendrick, who got her big break in 2007's "Rocket Science" and has gone onto mainstream success with the "Twilight" films and critical acclaim with "Up in the Air," will be continuing in her balance of drama and comedy with the upcoming untitled cancer comedy formerly titled "I'm With Cancer" (one can understand why they wouldn't want to hold onto that title).

The dramedy also will star James McAvoy and Seth Rogen (who also produces). Kendrick's character reportedly is "a young psychologist assigned to handle Adam's case [played by McAvoy] despite her lack of real world experience." This is somewhat similar to her character in "Up in the Air" but having seen her show off some range in "Rocket Science" and "Twilight," I doubt she'll just ape her performance in "Air" and become a one-trick-pony.

Jonathan Levine, who directed 2007's "The Wackness," has recently signed on to helm the film after disagreements with the film's original director Nicole Holofcener led to her leaving the project. So all in all, this seems like the perfect line-up for this kind of project, though I've yet to see James McAvoy really show off any comedic chops. Rogen, who dealt with similar territory in "Funny People," will probably suit his role just fine.

The most bizarre thing really is the idea that they'll be able to make a comedy (no matter how dramatic) about cancer. Of course, news sites have immediately taken the opportunity to use any conceivable pun they could with the news--i.e. "Anna Kendrick Helps James McAvoy With His Cancer" and "Jonathan Levine Has 'Cancer'" etc.

The film starts shooting this February in Vancouver.

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