Ron Howard Defends "Punk" Michael Cera, Talks "Arrested Development" Movie

Ron Howard defended Michael Cera when asked about the "Arrested Development" movie on "Morning Joe" Friday.

Show co-anchor Willie Geist asked of the film, "Is that young punk Michael Cera really holding up this gift to the American people?"

Howard laughed and responded, "No, the punk's not holding it up," then tried to explain what was.

Howard was promoting "Frost/Nixon" on the show, about which he also faced questions from fellow guest Pat Buchanan.

Earlier this week, Cera got cagey with MTV, telling them at Sundance it was "more hypothetical than people think," despite every actor having signed on, in addition to producer/narrator Ron Howard.

Last month in an interview, show creator/executive producer Mitch Hurwitz alluded to Michael Cera holding up the film.

WATCH HOWARD'S FULL "ARRESTED DEVELOPMENT" ANSWER:

SEE HOWARD'S FULL APPEARANCE, INCLUDING EXCHANGES WITH BUCHANAN:

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Comments

[cheferic]

O.k -I read the article that was 6 paragraphs long ,and I had questions about what the author meant;so I watched the video that contained perhaps 8 sentences and everything made sense.Does this site always write themselves away from the point?Are the videos there because the writing is so muddled?

[Bulbul]

Cera was very good in Juno, speaking of which , what is happening with Ellen Page. That kind of brilliant actress comes up once in a long while. The rest are mediocre.....

[jennyjen]

Just watched Smart People on cable. It got terrible reviews when it was in theatres and I don't understand why. I found it to be original, insightful and entertaining. Ellen Page is terrific. I also wondered what she is up to these days.

[lisalovesamelie]

She just finished two months that are supposed to be out this year: Whip It and Peacock.

[powertothepeople]

You losers and deniers of history need to go to the Nixon Library. While I agree he lied in office, the good that he did, Far outweighs the bad.

[Randomizer]

I don't know about that. He's got a pretty messy sheet to "balance" out. I'm no "denier" and realize that he succeeded in opening up a dialogue and triangulated our efforts with the PRC and USSR, he couldn't let go of the chip on his shoulder, and that's what took him down in every endeavor.

[walk0nwalls]

Ends don't justify means.

[tomas0808]

Why can't Ron Howard come up with an original thought? His 'spun reality' movies of real events are lame

[inluvwkeitholbermann]

ARRESTED DEVELOPMENT WAS THE BEST SHOW ON TELEVISION­........PE­RIOD.

I AM SO LOOKING FORWARD TO THIS FILM......

[erinker]

I really want Cera back too, but if he doesn't come back, I am sure his absence will be addressed in a side-splittlingly funny way, perhaps the perpetual blur they did to one of the Andy Richter "quints".

[bugsbonzai]

Pat Buchanan asking Ron Howard about Frost/Nixon is like Leni Reifenstahl asking Steven Spielberg about Schindler's List.

[Pupster]

And I didn't know until this movie that Diane Sawyer was part of Nixon's Aryan Nation. Now I have a reason to hate her guts.

[bopfan]

Ha! Perfect.

[Tyrione]

Really? One worked there, the other didn't. Guess which one did.

[TheBaffler]

Except Riefenstahl wasn't involved in the holocaust the way Buchanan was involved in the Nixon White House. She is also a far superior filmmaker to the anemic Spielberg.

[DeanSmithLegend]

Cera is kind of a crucial member of the cast. Here's more on Frost/Nixon:

http://www.informativepost.com/2008/12/08/FrostNixon-Previewed-by-Ron-Howard-on-the-Washington-Journal-2664.htm

[majordump]

Hurwitz, howard and crew can figure out a clever/funny tongue- in-cheek way around the Cera issue...look at how they dealt on-screen with shopping the show to showtime/HBO, etc

[seattledemocrat]

I think this is the first and last time I will ever agree with anything that was on FoxNews - YES ARRESTED DEVELOPMENT WAS THE BEST SHOW EVER! Can't wait for the movie with or without Cera

[amdezurik]

well, of course it was, just Lke Frank's Place in the 80's, it was so good it made everything else on TV look like the garbage it mostly iss, so they both had to be cancelled.

[ahoyhoy]

Losing "Frank's Place" was just awful!

I also loved the John Ritter show "Hooperman." Anybody remember that? Definitely canceled too soon.

[Pupster]

Uh....that wasn't Fox News; that was Morning Joe on MSNBC. (Though with all those conservatives, it's an easy mistake.)

[bigironal25]

The tv series was great and the movie version should also be great and I hope upon hope that Liza Minelli reprises her role because this lady was VERY FUNNY!!!

[Tatiana]

I liked Henry Winkler. He jumped over a shark in one episode, I laughed my ass off!

[ReelBusy]

This movie will never get made in Hollywood today.
It's a niche film and will not open wide.
Your ARREST will be expunged from the record.

[YeahDonkey]

This movie will only get made in Hollywood today, it has a built in fan base and who cares if it's not in wide release, it will be in the major cities where the majority of the fans are anyways.

You contradicted yourself in your own statement, will it not get made or will it be made for a limited release?

and how can anything be "expunged" from the "record"?.....what record?

All the seasons are on DVD...forever

[Pupster]

No special effects + no big stars = low budget. And they'll make a ton off the DVD sales.

[ManUnitdFan]

"Serenity" was a niche film too, and it did ok for itself. When shows have such a rabid following that every single one of them will go see a movie based on the show, they have no problem making money. It's not like the production costs would be particularly high. It'll get made, and it'll do well.

[gradybridges]

The show made Cera. It allowed him to get Superbad, Juno, Nick and Nora..., and every other movie where he plays the same akward teenager. Runs don't always last forever. Look at Jason Bateman. He had 2 hit shows in the 80's as a teen and did a few movies then was in a wasteland till Arrested. Guys like him and Clooney(back to ER) know that you should be greatful to the people who helped you along the way and that it doesn't alays last.

[invisible]

How can Michael Cera be holding up the movie when there is no script? This is a non-story if I've ever seen one.