After breaking out in last year’s Bridesmaids, Melissa McCarthy is set to make her debut as a leading lady on the big-screen with Identity Thief. The trailer, in which she beats the living crap out of her ID theft victim Jason Bateman, was just released today, well ahead of the movie’s February 2013 release, which means that the studio has a lot of confidence in the new comedy. Identity Thief was directed by Seth Gordon (Horrible Bosses, King of Kong), written by Craig Mazin (The Hangover II), and it also stars Jon Favreau, Eric Stonestreet, Amanda Peet, John Cho, and Clark Duke. This is Melissa McCarthy’s first post-Bridesmaids movie, and it’s the start of long string high-profile films she has coming out over the next year, including a supporting role in Judd Apatow’s next big movie This is 40, a Paul Feig-directed buddy cop flick called The Heat that pairs her with Sandra Bullock, and a cameo role in The Hangover Part III. So, get ready to see Melissa McCarthy in pretty much every big comedy ever from now on.
Check out two cool character posters for Identity Thief after the jump.