The city will be the namesake of an upcoming comedy feature film starring Will Ferrell as Ricky Bobby, a NASCAR racing sensation, Columbia Pictures announced Friday. "Talladega Nights: The Ballad of Ricky Bobby" is currently in post-production, and will be released in theaters nationwide Aug. 4.Talladega Superspeedway officials expressed excitement about the film in a release Friday.
"We have enjoyed being part of this project and are thrilled to have our facility figuring so prominently in the film," said Rick Humphrey, Talladega Superspeedway vice president. "A lot of buzz has been generated about this movie, and we are as excited as everyone else about the final product. We know it will bring a lot of exposure to our facility and hope it will encourage new fans to visit us for what is going to be one of the most exciting years to date at Talladega Superspeedway."
With Ferrell playing the lead, the race track will most likely be background to the comedian’s outrageous slapstick style. The film, written by Ferrell and director Adam McKay, details the experiences of Bobby and his childhood friend Cal Naughton Jr. (John C. Reilly), who create a racing phenomenon as they fearlessly finish most races in the Nos. 1 and 2 spots, with Naughton always coming in behind Bobby.
The duo’s reign over NASCAR is challenged when French Formula One driver Jean Girard (Sacha Baron Cohen) appears on the circuit. Bobby must fight his own demons to defeat Girard and claim the title of racing’s top driver.
Judd Apatow, who produced "The 40-Year-Old Virgin" and "Anchorman: The Legend of Ron Burgundy," in which Ferrell also starred, shares producing credits with Jimmy Miller, who produced the Ferrell Christmas comedy "Elf."
Crews began shooting scenes at the race track during the UAW-Ford 500 race weekend and in weeks following. Crews also shot scenes on the front stretch of the 2.66-mile track that included fans attending the ARCA RE/MAX series last year before the green flag was waved.
The film also stars Gary Cole and Michael Clarke Duncan, and is not yet rated.
