CON: Get Smart

A very excited audience erupted in ear-shattering applause for GET SMART’s WonderCon panel this past Saturday, with Steve Carrel, Anne Hathaway, and director Peter Segal taking the stage to answer some questions, and of course, talk about what’s happening to The Office.

New Trailer – This trailer actually gave me hope for the film, making it look a lot funnier than the previously released one. It starts off with a tonally serious voiceover narration talking about the balance between control and chaos, and then there’s this whole storyline about nuclear weapons. Steve Carrel shouts for joy when he gets promoted to an agent, and there’s a big montage of comedy/action sequences from the film. There’s a lot of stuff with Carrel exchanging amusing banter with Terrence Stamp, falling out of a plane, flying into a wall while hanging on a wire with Anne Hathaway (“Missed it by that much…”). Then there’s my personal favorite line, when an undercover Hathaway finishes dancing with someone and asks Carrell if he saw anything (referring to any criminal actions), and he says, “Just once, but I don’t think you expected him to lift you that high.”

• The Office goes back to filming in two weeks.
• Steve Carrel just got finished serving jury duty, and announced he’d be writing an episode of The Office where Michael has to serve.
• Carrel got into improv because he “didn’t want to learn lines.”
• Everyone on the panel said they’d love to come back for more films.
• Director John Segal’s next, SHAZAM, has been delayed because of the writer’s strike, but John August is working on the script now. The Rock is playing Black Adam.
• Carrel said he has no deep need to show his dramatic side, and it’s more about what’s fun. “As long as I get paid, I am fine.”
• Somebody asked Carrel if he could have a picture with him, and he smiled and said, “Sure, absolutely.” The audience proceeded to boo the guy who asked the question, and Carrel immediately snapped back, “I mean, no! No, you may not! Everybody hates you now!”
• One too many people were taking pictures by the stage, and they wouldn’t go back to their seats, so Carrel leaped across the stage and jokingly pretended to kick the cameras in anger. Seeing as how most panels don’t even involve people getting out of their seats, it was pretty hilarious.
• Anne Hathaway wasn’t being asked many questions, so when somebody finally said he had a question for her, the audience cheered and she said, “I feel so much cooler than I did in high school.” Then the guy proceeded to ask, “What was it like working with Steve Carrel?” Laughter erupted, and Hathaway said, “Now I feel exactly like I did in high school.” Good times.

GET SMART looks funny and all, but the real highlight of this WonderCon panel was getting to watch Steve Carrel’s showmanship on stage, further proving what a great comedic talent he is.