This weekend the female-fronted comedy Bridesmaids made waves at the box office, raking in $24.4 million – making it the biggest opening of a Judd Apatow-produced feature since 2008’s Stepbrothers. Part of this success comes from the sharp marketing campaign that unrolled hundreds of preview screenings to generate word of mouth. And who was the focal point of much of this buzz? Undoubtedly, it was unrepentant scene-stealer Melissa McCarthy of TV’s Mike & Molly.

In Bridesmaids, McCarthy’s go-for-broke comedy gusto results in gut-busting slapstick and a string of straight-faced (and thereby hilarious) confessions. So it’s little surprise that this full-figured funny woman already has two different film projects in the works.

First off, Deadline’s revealed that McCarthy is teaming up with Bridesmaids co-writer Annie Mumolo (who also appears as the cryptic seatmate to Kristen Wiig’s terrified flyer) to script a comedy in which she’ll star. The pitch has already been bought by Paramount Pictures, and Lorne Michaels and John Goldwyn are set to produce. This untitled comedy was inspired by McCarthy’s husband, Ben Falcone, who Bridesmaids fans may know as the air marshal of McCarthy’s affections. The story centers on a woman whose husband’s illness has doctors lost for ideas. To give her man a second lease on life, she gathers her (presumably gal) pals into a minivan to go on heist adventure to steal the Stanley Cup. It’s a quirky premise, but with McCarthy and Mumolo on board it’s easy to understand the ardent interest.

In other news, Bridesmaids director Paul Feig has revealed to Entertainment Weekly (Via The Playlist) that he’s currently developing a romantic comedy which will center on the bombastic but lovable McCarthy. Little else is known about this film yet, but Feig has said, “If an actress like Melissa becomes a huge star? THAT is a world I want to live in.”

Here here!

Does Bridesmaids make you want to see more of McCarthy? Are you interested in her pitched comedy? How about the rom-com? Do you think she is Bridesmaids breakout star?

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