Though filmmaker Adam McKay is best known for helming comedic gems like Anchorman and Step Brothers, his future slate sees him branching out a bit into other genres.  He’s developing an adaptation of the graphic novel The Boys, he’s set to direct the remake Uptown Saturday Night, and now Paramount has announced that McKay will write and direct an adaptation of the Michael Lewis book The Big Short: Inside The Doomsday Machine, which examines the housing and credit bubble of the 2000s.  McKay previously dabbled in politically minded material with the action-comedy The Other Guys, which dealt heavily with corporate greed and corruption, so The Big Short feels like a solid fit for the filmmaker.

Brad Pitt—who produced and starred in the Michael Lewis adaptation Moneyball—will produce The Big Short through his Plan B banner.  No word on where this fits into McKay’s schedule (he’s planning on making Uptown Saturday Night next), but this is certainly promising news.  Read the full press release after the jump.

Here’s the press release:

McKAY TO TAKE ON PARAMOUNT PICTURES AND PLAN B’S “THE BIG SHORT”

FROM ACCLAIMED WRITER MICHAEL LEWIS

HOLLYWOOD, CA (March 24, 2014) – Paramount Pictures and Plan B announced today that writer / director Adam McKay has come aboard to adapt and direct “THE BIG SHORT,” based on the acclaimed book by Michael Lewis.

Based on Lewis’ best-seller The Big Short: Inside The Doomsday Machine about the housing and credit bubble of the 2000s, the film will be produced by Paramount and Brad Pitt's Plan B. Pitt previously starred in and produced Lewis’ “MONEYBALL,” which earned an Academy Award®-nomination for Best Picture.

"Michael Lewis has the amazing ability to take complex formulas and concepts and turn them into page turners. Plan B and I connected over that breathless quality the book has. Very excited to jump into this," said McKay.

Said Adam Goodman, Paramount Film Group President, “I am so excited as this project marks my third collaboration with Adam McKay – a tremendously talented filmmaker and one of my favorite storytellers.”

Said Plan B, “There are those rare literary treasures - as with “THE BIG SHORT” - that park in the harbor and you just wait, with hope.  Adam McKay is a singular voice and talent and a ferocious mind – the vector of Adam and this book is what a producer dreams of.”

McKay most recently co-wrote, produced and directed the sequel “ANCHORMAN 2: THE LEGEND CONTINUES,” for Paramount Pictures. The hit film has grossed over $170m globally. He is repped by WME and Mosaic.