Jack Black reteams with 'Rock' director

2:22 PM PDT 8/6/2010 by Borys Kit, AP

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Shirley MacLaine also on board Richard Linklater's 'Bernie'

Jack Black is reteaming with "School of Rock" director Richard Linklater for the dark comedy "Bernie."

Shirley MacLaine will star opposite Black in the pic, which is being made by Mandalay Vision and Castle Rock Entertainment.

"Bernie" is set in the small town of Carthage, Texas and follows a Renaissance man-community leader-mortician Bernie (Black) who strikes up an unlikely friendship with a wealthy but very particular widow (MacLaine). When he kills her, he goes to great lengths to maintain the illusion that she is still alive.

Mandalay Vision's Celine Rattray will produce with Castle Rock's Martin Shafer and Liz Glotzer. Ginger Sledge will also produce.

Principal photography is scheduled to begin October.

Mandalay Vision was one of the companies behind this summer's indie hit "The Kids Are All Right," while Castle Rock has "Flipped" opening this weekend.

Black, repped by WME, next stars in "Gulliver's Travels" while CAA and Cinetic Management-repped Linklater last directed "Me and Orson Welles." He is in the early stages of directing a 12-year film production starring Ethan Hawke that charts the growth of a boy.

MacLaine, repped by ICM, appeared in "Valentine's Day."