Will Ferrell not moving into the 'Neighborhood'

Will Ferrell's next project is up in the air.

Credit: AP Photo

It's a strange time in Will Ferrell's career.  After the disappointing returns for "Land of the Lost," mediocre results for last summer's "Step Brothers" and the bomb that was "Semi-Pro," Ferrell is in dire need of a hit.  Now, both trades are reporting that Ferrell and director David Dobkin have left what was expected to be the duos next project, "Neighborhood Watch."

A Sci-Fi comedy about a city dweller who finds an alien conspiracy once he moves to the suburbs, production was expected to begin this fall. However, after Dobkin turned in a re-write of Jared Stern's original script he soon left the project with Ferrell in tow (read into that what you may).

Whether "Watch" will keep moving forward is unclear. "Night at the Museum's" Shawn Levy was the original director on the Fox project before moving into a producing role.  He'll now have to help the studio find both another filmmaker and movie star to keep the film alive.

As for Ferrell, he's also developing a comedic take on "Sherlock Holmes," but with the Guy Richie/Robert Downey, Jr. "Holmes" looking to turn into a major new franchise, it's hard to imagine another take on the famous detective coming to the big screen so soon.

Ferrell is teaming up with Mark Wahlberg and longtime collaborator Adam McKay on "The Other Guys" this Fall, but perhaps that "Anchorman" sequel isn't as far down the road as we've been lead to believe.