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Evan Almighty is a 2007 American comedy film, and a spin-off of Bruce Almighty (2003). The film was directed by Tom Shadyac, written by Steve Oedekerk, based on the characters created by Steve Koren and Mark O'Keefe from the original film. It stars Steve Carell and Morgan Freeman reprising their roles as Evan Baxter and God, respectively, with new cast members Lauren Graham and John Goodman. The film is a modern-day retelling of Noah's Ark, which Evan reluctantly re-enacts because God commands him to do so at the same time Evan pursues a new career in government. Production of the film began in January 2006. Several visual effect companies were used to provide CGI for the numerous animals and the climactic flood scene. By the time the film had completed production, it had become the most expensive comedy film ever, later being overtaken by Men in Black 3. The film opened on June 22, 2007, and was a box-office bomb, grossing $174.4 million worldwide, and received generally negative reviews from critics. Plot Newly elected to Congress, former local television news reporter Evan Baxter leaves his hometown of Buffalo, New York and moves with his family to the community of Prestige Crest, located in the fictional town of Huntsville, Virginia, where his congressional campaign officially declares that he will change the world. Evan prays to God to give him this opportunity. His wife, Joan, also prays that she, Evan, and their three sons will be closer together as a family. On his first day in Congress, Evan receives a letter from his greedy boss, Congressman Chuck Long, who provides him with a prime office and gives him the opportunity to join him as the junior co-sponsor to his Citizens' Integration of Public Lands Act (CINPLAN) bill. Over the next several days, strange events in Evan's life occur: Eight vacant lots in Prestige Crest are purchased under his name and ancient tools and gopher wood are delivered there Pairs of animals start following him around everywhere he goes, with birds flying into his office through the window He begins to grow a beard, which grows back whenever he shaves it every morning His hair grows uncontrollably His clothes are replaced with robes The number 614 starts appearing in various forms throughout his daily routines Evan comes to realize that the number actually refers to verse 14 in chapter 6 of the Book of Genesis, where God instructed Noah to build an ark in preparation for a coming flood. Although Evan initially rejects this idea, God himself starts appearing to Evan and assures him that the flood will come and the only way he can change the world will be through recreating the ark instead. Evan finally decides to start building it using the tools and materials provided, giving him an opportunity to spend more time with his sons, but Joan sees this as a midlife crisis. While Evan still maintains his career in Congress, his appearance alienates three staffers and the animals that follow him everywhere become more disruptive. God reappears to Evan and provides him a robe, later warning him the flood will come mid-day on the 22nd of September. When God indefinitely exposes Evan's robe, Long gets him suspended from Congress and have him removed from the Public Land Act bill. Believing that Evan has gone insane, Joan leaves him behind, causing Evan himself to continue building the ark alone. Meanwhile, God disguises himself as a waiter in a restaurant and speaks with Joan. God assures Joan that she should see this as an opportunity for the entire family to get closer to each other. Joan is inspired and finally returns to help Evan finish building the ark together to prepare for the flood. On September 22, Evan's three staffers show him evidence that Long had planned to build Prestige Crest after damming off a nearby water source, but Long had cut many corners in building the dam. They suspect Long would do the same with the Public Land Act Bill. With the ark finally complete, the animals board two by two. However, the local police threaten to demolish it with a wrecking ball as the ark violates land codes and a small amount of rain falls. Evan realizes that the flood will not be due to the rain, but as a result of Long's dam failing. The dam eventually fails, destroying all the homes of Prestige Crest. The entire community manages to safely board the Ark, which rides the floodwaters to Washington, D.C.. The ark then comes to its final destination in front of the Capitol, interrupting the vote for Long's Public Land Act Bill. The flood results in Evan criticizing Long of being responsible for cost-cutting leading up to the dam's failure. The voting of the Public Land Act Bill is suspended due to an investigation on Long for profiteering. After the flood, Evan is reinstated to Congress and all the animals return to their natural habitats. With his appearance returned back to normal, Evan re-encounters God during a family hike. God states that Evan had changed his world as he prayed for and being closer to his family through his one Act of Random Kindness (ARK). God issues a new commandment to the outgoing audience: "Thou shalt do the dance", followed by the film's cast and crew dance to C+C Music Factory's hit song "Gonna Make You Sweat (Everybody Dance Now)" during the closing credits. Cast Production Screenplay The film's screenplay was originally titled The Passion of the Ark and was written by Bobby Florsheim and Josh Stolberg. It became the subject of a seven-studio bidding war in April 2004. The script was sold to Sony Pictures in a deal worth $2.5 million plus a percentage of the profits, a record for a spec script from previously unproduced writers. Universal Studios immediately made a deal to co-produce the script with Sony Pictures and have Steve Oedekerk rewrite it into the sequel to Bruce Almighty. Steve Oedekerk had been involved with Bruce Almighty as an executive producer and co-writer of the screenplay (with Steve Koren and Mark O'Keefe, who wrote the story). The studio later discarded the original The Passion of the Ark script completely, and Oedekerk fashioned a new script from scratch (only he received final credit on the finished film as screenwriter). Jim Carrey was asked to reprise his role as Bruce in the sequel and, when he declined, director Tom Shadyac convinced Steve Carell to accept the leading role. Shadyac, reflecting on the first film, stated "[Carell] delivered some of the funniest stuff in the movie. We thought, 'Why not take that character and spin him off into a different film?'" Casting Jim Carrey declined to reprise his role from the original Bruce Almighty. Although Carrey did act in a sequel to Ace Ventura: Pet Detective, he has said that he is "not a big fan of doing the same character twice." This marked the third time a sequel has been made to a film for which Carrey declined to reprise his role—the others being Dumb and Dumberer and Son of the Mask. Budget The initial budget, at approxi.... Discover the Freeman Lauren popular books. Find the top 100 most popular Freeman Lauren books.