Anchorman: Frank Masi

Anchorman

RELEASE DATE July 9

WHY WE CAN'T WAIT Will Ferrell's on a roll. After ''Old School'' and ''Elf,'' we bet he could make us laugh just by reading the news.

THE PREMISE Ferrell (far right) is a top TV news anchor in 1970s San Diego, whose boys' club (including Paul Rudd, David Koechner, and Steve Carell) is disrupted by the arrival of a competent newswoman (Christina Applegate, center).

SOURCE An original idea by Ferrell and director Adam McKay

THE BACK STORY Here's how you know it's 1973: ''All the clothes are brown,'' says Ferrell. Also, says McKay, everyone smokes all the time. Back then, he notes, ''when you heard 'cigarettes,' you didn't think of cancer. You thought of a cowboy.''

BURNING QUESTION Is this story too retro for Ferrell's young-ish audience?

COME FOR Ferrell's foolery

STAY FOR Scene stealer Carell, whose faux-newsman résumé includes his correspondent gig on ''The Daily Show'' and his babbling broadcaster in ''Bruce Almighty''