Seth Rogen to star in cancer comedy

They say laughter is always the best remedy, no matter the situation. Life is Beautiful, Roberto Benigni's Oscar-winning drama, made light of one of the worst atrocities the world has ever seen. Juno, Paste's 2007 movie of the year, was a smart-as-a-whip comedy about teenage pregnancy, a subject nobody finds particularly funny. And Woody Allen has poked fun at everything from sex with sheep to czarist Russia. Now, Freaks and Geeks alum Seth Rogen will try and convince moviegoers cancer can be funny. Wish him luck.

Rogen will produce and co-star in I'm With Cancer, an autobiographical story based on 25-year-old Will Reiser's real-life battle with the crippling disease. Reiser, a former producer for HBO's Da Ali G Show, wrote the script.

Rogen has seen his star rise considerably since 2007's Knocked Up, directed by his sometime Freaks and Geeks director Judd Apatow. He's largely stuck close to the Apatow brand (Superbad, Pineapple Express), but he'll break away later this month with the release of Kevin Smith's much-anticipated Zack and Miri Make a Porno. Rogen also has mall-cop comedy Observe and Report alongside House Bunny Anna Faris due next April and a role in Apatow's next directorial effort Funny People, starring Adam Sandler and Eric Bana. He's also signed on to be The Green Hornet, due in 2010 (which needs to be seen to be believed). His last gestating project is a comedy called Jay and Seth vs. the Apocalypse, which will re-team him with his Superbad screenwriters and co-star Jay Baruchel. Busy man, that Rogen.

No word yet on a start date for I'm With Cancer. Porno hits theaters Oct. 31.

Related links:
News: Watch Tony Kaye's short with Porno's Rogen and Banks
News: Kevin Smith will debut his Porno next month
News: Kevin Smith's Zack and Miri wins R rating appeal

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