danny_mcbride_zooey_deschanel_james_franco_your_highness_01.jpg

According to The Hollywood Reporter, Zooey Deschanel is joining Danny McBride and James Franco in David Gordon Green's, "Your Highness".  "Highness," written by Ben Best and Danny McBride, centers on an arrogant, lazy prince (McBride) who must complete a quest to save his father's kingdom. Joining him on the quest is his more heroic brother (James Franco). Deschanel would play Belladonna, Franco's virginal bride.  Natalie Portman is also on board as McBride's love-interest, a warrior princess which sounds awesome.  If you want to get even more excited for this flick, check out the interview Steve did with McBride for "Land of the Lost" where McBride talks about the fantasy flicks that are the inspiration for "Your Highness".

Hit the jump to get my thoughts about the casting of Deschanel.

Here's what's weird about Zooey Deschanel: I had the chance to meet her in person a couple weeks ago at the junket for "(500) Days of Summer".  She was funny, loquacious, effervescent, and a joy to be around.  On screen, none of that is present.  It's like you put a camera on her and she becomes a charisma vacuum with dead cow eyes and monotone delivery.  She has one facial expression and only one character which isn't even a character as much as it's a character trait: sardonic.  In "Your Highness", she will be sardonic.  In any film, she will be sardonic.  She could be doing a film about Jews getting murdered in Auschwitz and she would still come off as sardonic.  Maybe the best solution is just to let her ad-lib everything and not let her know the cameras are rolling.