No Release for "Strangers with Candy"

From the New York Daily News comes a report that "Strangers with Candy" starring Allison Janney will not be distributed in the short term:
"Looks like even Warner Independent, the studio that took a chance on "March of the Penguins" and "Searching for Comedy in the Muslim World," won't go near "Strangers With Candy."

The film, based on the cult show of the same name, was scheduled to be released later this month. But yesterday a rep for Warner told us: "It's off our release slate."

This likely comes as bad news to star Amy Sedaris and the rest of the blockbuster cast, which includes Sarah Jessica Parker, Justin Theroux, Kristen Johnston, Allison Janney, Philip Seymour Hoffman and Stephen Colbert.

"It was so much fun" to film, gushed Matthew Broderick yesterday. Broderick plays a science teacher. "[Sedaris] is just the funniest person in the world."

An industry insider sniped that the delay might be due to Warner-wide overlawyering after the summer hit "Dukes of Hazzard" was socked with a series of lawsuits, mainly over rights — even though "Strangers" easily passed insurance standards. While the film has not left the studio yet, it might.

"It will definitely be released," said a source close to the project, "but probably not with Warner."

We hear that the film, which won accolades from audiences at Sundance (but was snubbed by indie filmmakers for being "too entertaining"), has other studios waiting in the wings."