14 DAY TRIAL // It’s official: Charlie Sheen will return to the small screen as the lead character in a new sitcom based on the 2003 comedy “Anger Management.” Lionsgate has confirmed the new project, with Sheen professing to be dying to come back to work.
As announced some time ago, Sheen and producer Joe Roth, with whom he worked on five previous projects, came up with the idea for the new show that would put the actor back on the map for all the right reasons.
Since he was fired from CBS’ “Two and a Half Men,” which made of him the highest paid television actors of our time, making an estimated $2 million per episode, Sheen has been itching to get back to work.
Nevertheless, of the countless projects he bragged about or to which he was reportedly attached, none came to fruition – until “Anger Management” happened.
Sheen will play the character Jack Nicholson played in the original film, AceShowbiz writes, citing the press release issued on the occasion.
“Lionsgate Television is working with Debmar-Mercury and Revolution to produce the series based on the 2003 hit comedy film of the same name starring Adam Sandler,” the e-zine reports.
For the time being, the new show does not have a network but, since interest in Sheen’s work hasn’t died down completely even after his crazy antics of earlier this year, it shouldn’t have a problem landing a deal.
“I chose Anger Management because, while it might be a big stretch for me to play a guy with serious anger management issues, I think it is a great concept,” Sheen says in the press release.
“It also provides me with real ownership in the series, a certain amount of creative control and the chance to be back in business with one of my favorite movie producers of all time, Joe Roth,” the star adds.
Indeed, not only will he be more involved in “Anger Management” than he was in “Two and a Half Men,” but he’d also be able to veto a change and have more creative control.
Roth believes the new show is the perfect vehicle to demonstrate that Sheen’s star is far from fading and that he remains, even when not on “Men,” the best television comedy actor of our time.
“Who better than Charlie Sheen to tackle Anger Management. With Charlie’s incredible talent and comedic gifts, he remains the leading man of TV sitcoms. I’m excited to collaborate with him once again,” the producer says.
Further details are not available right now, but word online has it fans should expect to see episodes from the new show no later than January 2012.