Steve Carell is in negotiations to lead the live-action adaptation of the children's book Alexander and the Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Day.  The book, which was one of my favorite as a child, is about a kid who wakes up with gum in his hair, and whose day goes downhill from there.  According to Deadline, Carell is in talks to play "Ben", although I don't recall if that character is in the book.  The feature film adaptation will likely add characters to pad out the story, so it's possible "Ben" could be a new addition.  Lisa Cholodenko (The Kids Are All Right) is set to direct.

Nabbing Carell is a boost for any project, although it’s a double-edged sword with the actor's busy schedule since waiting on him could delay shooting.  Hit the jump for a synopsis of Alexander and the Terrible…, and a refresher on Carell's other projects.  The popular actor will be seen later this year in Seeking a Friend for the End of the World and Great Hope Springs.

In addition to his leading 2012 roles, Carell already has pictures lined up for release in 2013: the rival magicians comedy Burt Wonderstone, the sequel to Despicable Me, and Charlie Kaufman's musical-comedy Frank or Francis.  Carell is also attached to star in Anchorman 2, Lunatics, Dogs of Babel, Conviction, Foxcatcher, and an untitled comedy from the directors of Crazy, Stupid, Love.  Click on the corresponding link for more info on each film.

Here's the synopsis for Judith Viorst and Ray Cruz' Alexander and the Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Day:

He could tell it was going to be a terrible, horrible, no good, very bad day. He went to sleep with gum in his mouth and woke up with gum in his hair. When he got out of bed, he tripped over his skateboard and by mistake dropped his sweater in the sink while the water was running. He could tell it was going to be a terrible, horrible, no good, very bad day.

It was a terrible, horrible, no good, very bad day. Nothing at all was right. Everything went wrong, right down to lima beans for supper and kissing on TV.

What do you do on a day like that? Well, you may think about going to Australia. You may also be glad to find that some days are like that for other people too. [Amazon]

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