Carell joins Brigadier

Steve Carell recruited for “Brigadier Gerard”

Steve Carell could soon be polishing his French accent… The comic actor has been attached to “Brigadier Gerard,” a period comedy about a French soldier during the Napoleonic wars who is deluded about his level of bravery.


The project, being penned by “King of the Hill” writers John Altschuler and Dave Krinsky, is based on a series of short stories by Sherlock Holmes creator Arthur Conan Doyle. Carell would play Etienne Gerard, a soldier who considers himself a gallant swordsman but whose actual skills often pale in comparison to his own conception of them.


Those familiar with the project said it could be a showcase for the kind of clueless-man comedy Carell has brought to the series “The Office” and the recent big-screen effort “Get Smart.”


Carell has a short window — his spring hiatus from NBC’s “The Office” — in which to shoot his next movie. He must choose from several feature projects, including “Get Smart 2” for Warner Bros. and “Date Night” with Tina Fey.