Paul Rudd to Star As a Cryonics Nut In Errol Morris's Next Feature Film

While we patiently wait until the end of August to see Paul Rudd star as a shaggy-haired idealistic stoner in Our Idiot Brother, the comedic actor already has his sights set on a surprising new project with Academy Award-winning documentary filmmaker Errol Morris.

While promoting his upcoming documentary Tabloid, Morris told a Washington Post contributor that the I Love You, Man lead had been cast in the documentarian's first major feature. The film will star Rudd as Bob Nelson, a California TV repairman-turned-cryonics "innovator" who personally funded the cryopreservation of nine bodies in a self-designed vault in a Chatsworth, California cemetery for a brief period in the 70's. When it was discovered that some of the bodies had thawed and Nelson was not maintaining the bodies per his promises, the families of the deceased sued Nelson, who had previously served as the president of Cryonics Society of California, for over $10 million for breach of contract and punitive damages.

The still-untitled-movie -- about the scandal that proved to be a major setback for the cryonics community -- will reportedly be written by Stranger Than Fiction scribe Zach Helm. This American Life host Ira Glass is also collaborating with Morris on the project.

Check back tomorrow for Movieline's own discussion with director Errol Morris.

· Paul Rudd to star as man who freezes people [Washington Post]

· Robert Nelson and the Chatsworth Scandal [Cryonics.org]