Jack Black and Richard Linklater remaking Weekend at Bernie’s! Kinda!

OK, that headline is a little misleading. Jack Black and director Richard Linklater (School of Rock) are set to re-team for a black comedy entitled Bernie. According to THR, Black will play the titular mortician, who must convince his fellow townsfolk that the wealthy widow he accidentally killed is still alive.

Yes, this sounds a lot like Weekend at Bernie’s. The fact that the film is actually called Bernie cannot be a coincidence. Can it? The title is either a sly wink to the cult comedy classic, or an indication that the film will be a genuine attempt to reboot the long-dead (pun-intended) WAB saga.

Shirley MacLaine will star as the widow. Shooting begins in October.

Discuss: Linklater knows how to handle many different genres. Can he pull off a black comedy with Black, or will this be another Drowning Mona?