According to The Hollywood Reporter, Universal has changed the name of its upcoming Melissa McCarthy-starring “white-collar crime comedy” from Michelle Darnell to The Boss. The movie is about an executive (McCarthy) who goes to prison for insider training and then tries to rebuild her life after bering released (but in a funny way), and apparently the fact that she was in charge of a company is the most important part of that synopsis. Otherwise we have no idea why the studio would think The Boss is a better title than Michelle Darnell.
Now, it’s not like Michelle Darnell is a great name (it’s no There Will Be Blood or Transformers: Dark Of The Moon), but at least it’s more unique than The Boss. Michelle Darnell is mysterious. It makes you wonder who Michelle Darnell is and why there’s a movie about her. The Boss is just dull. It’s a movie about a boss. Does the boss go to prison for insider trading and then do funny stuff when she gets out? Is it about Bruce Springsteen? Is it a big-screen version of that Kelsey Grammer show? We have no idea, because all the title says is that it’s a movie about a boss.
Anyway, The Boss (not to be confused with Cake Boss, Undercover Boss, or Who’s The Boss?) also stars Peter Dinklage, Kathy Bates, Kristens Bell and Schaal, and Cecily Strong. It’s being directed by Ben Falcone from a script that he co-wrote with McCarthy and Steve Mallory. The Boss will be in theaters on April 8 of next year, so try to remember its awful title or else you might get confused and think someone really did make that Kelsey Grammer show into a movie.