Ryan Phillippe and Val Kilmer ready for 'MacGruber'

Ryan Phillippe is making the rare comedy with "MacGruber."

Credit: AP Photo/Rene Macura

Paramount Pictures has very little in the production pipeline, but thankfully, "Saturday Night Live" producer Lorne Michaels still makes his movie home on the Melrose lot.  Yes, the man who provided the studio with such classics as "Night at the Roxbury," "Superstar" and "The Ladies Man" is throwing caution to the wind and bringing the Will Forte staple "MacGruber" to the big screen and it appears to be happening a lot sooner than anyone anticipated.

According to The Hollywood Reporter, the "MacGuyver" rip-off is negotiating with Ryan Phillippe and Val Kilmer to join skits regulars Forte and Kristen Wiig in the cinematic endeavor.  It will surprise some, but Forte did not create "MacGruber." That honor goes to The Lonely Island member and "Land of the Lost" star Jorma Taccone.  He'll make his feature film directing debut with this extended version.

The movie, written by Taccone and Forte, will find former special agent MacGruber (Forte) pulled out of retirement as a monk in Ecuador by an American colonel who needs him to serve his country once again.  His mission? Face the evil Cunth, a villain who has a nuclear warhead on his hands.  And this time it's personal.  It turns out Cunth killed MacGruber's bride. 

Phillippe would play Piper, an Army officer forced to team up with a reluctant MacGruber.  Kilmer, who started in the spy farce "Top Secret!" early in his career, would play Cunth.

Both actors would get a career boost if "MacGruber" is a hit.  Phillippe's last project is the true-life indie drama "The Bang Bang Club" and Kilmer recently finished shooting "Bad Lieutenant: Port of Call New Orleans" which currently has no domestic distributor.

It's unclear when "MacGruber" will begin production, but in theory, it could shoot before Forte, Wiig and Taccone return to "Saturday Night Live" this fall.  A separate "MacGuyver" feature is being developed at New Line, but it appears it won't make it to theaters beore "MacGruber."