Filming has begun on the hilarious comedy "Evan Almighty," starring Steve Carell, Morgan Freeman and Lauren Graham. (Funny how a studio press release can call an unfinished movie "hilarious.")

Comedy director Tom Shadyac ("The Nutty Professor," "Liar Liar"), who helmed the box-office hit "Bruce Almighty," returns behind the camera for this next episode of divine intervention written by Steve Oedekerk ("The Nutty Professor," "Bruce Almighty"), Josh Stolberg and Bobby Florsheim.

Carell reprises his role as Evan Baxter -- the polished, preening newscaster of the first film -- who finds himself the next one anointed by God (Freeman) to accomplish a holy mission.

Newly elected to Congress, Evan leaves Buffalo behind and shepherds his family to suburban northern Virginia. Once there, his life gets turned upside-down when God appears and mysteriously commands him to build an ark. But his befuddled wife (Graham) and kids just can't decide whether Evan is having an extraordinary mid-life crisis or is truly onto something of Biblical proportions ...

"Evan Almighty" features a supporting cast that includes John Goodman, Wanda Sykes, John Michael Higgins and up-and-coming young actors Jonah Hill, Jimmy Bennett, Graham Phillips and Johnny Simmons.

Evan Almighty will be filmed in Los Angeles, Virginia and Washington, D.C.