Over the course of his long film career, Jim Carrey has played characters who have had the hots for Cameron Diaz, Renee Zellweger, and Lauren Holly -- and now, you can add Ewan McGregor to that list.

Variety reports that McGregor has signed on as Carrey's romantic lead in I Love You Phillip Morris, a "dark comedy" that will act as the directorial debut for Bad Santa screenwriters Glen Ficarra and John Requa. The film, based on a true story (and a book by Steve McVicker), traces the plight of Texas convict Steven Russell, a married father who fell in love with his cellmate. From the article:

[Russell's] love for Morris motivated his escape from prisons four times, once by using a green pen and bucket of water to change his prison outfit into what appeared to be surgical scrubs, another time by faking his death from AIDS and signing his own death certificate. Morris eventually got out, but Russell's escapades got him a 144-year sentence.

Carrey and McGregor will start working on Phillip Morris in the spring, after Carrey finishes filming his multiple-role appearance in Robert Zemeckis' mo-cap update on A Christmas Carol.

Source: Variety