The internet’s been clogged with rumors about a possible film adaptation of the wonderful sitcom Arrested Development. Last week, I had a chance to talk with one of the show’s stars, Jeffrey Tambor, and I took the opportunity to ask him to clarify exactly what he knows about the film as part of our extensive in-person interview with Tambor, which you can hear here.

This is what he told me, in no uncertain terms: “Well, here’s the real truth of it: we are going to do it. It’s very, very probable. The script is not finished yet, and when the script is finished, we will go into production. I’m positive. “

As Tambor explains in the full version of the interview (which will be up here and in the podcast feed in a couple of weeks), he and Mitch Hurwitz have been close since before Arrested was even a television show, so Tambor knows what of he speaks.

Here’s the audio of this small portion of my 40-minute conversation with the actor behind George Bluth Sr. (and of course Oscar Bluth). And speaking of Oscar, he shares a little tidbit at the end about how Hurwitz created the long-haired Bluth.

The transcript of the Arrested Development film portion of the interview follows. Don’t miss our full interview, which is now on the web and covers Tambor’s career from Kojak to Hellboy and beyond.

Jesse Thorn: What do you understand is the current state, according to the current knowledge of Mr. Jeffrey Tambor, celebrity actor and cast member of Arrested Development, of the proposed Arrested Development film?

Jeffrey Tambor: Well first of all, that wonderful actor who does Spongebob, what’s his name?

Tom Kenney?

Tom. Tom said to me, “Jeffrey, before we go on…” and it was a colloquy about Word Girl, “is there gonna be an Arrested Development movie?”

And I said “yes!” and there was a big huzzah.

Well you couldn’t find a house full of more committed comedy nerds than at the Upright Citizens Brigade Theater.

But previous to that, there was a reporter who had asked me about the Michael Cera thing, I think that’s what you’re referring to. And I said, “I will go to Michael Cera’s house and I will pull him out by his hair…” and like that. Well what I didn’t know was that there was this kerfuffle that was going on about Michael Cera.

Well, here’s the real truth of it: we are going to do it. It’s very, very probable. The script is not finished yet, and when the script is finished, we will go into production. I’m positive.

Have you signed any papers or anything?

No, what I have done is I talked to Mitch. He called and said, “Hey pal, you on board?” and I said, “absolutely.” Jason [Bateman] and I just had lunch the other day, and we’re all excited about it so everyone, to a man, is on board.

Including Michael Cera, who was said to be circumspect about it? (And Michael Cera has been a guest on this program, best guy in the world…)

Oh he’s… yeah, yeah yeah. Do I have 100% certainty? No. But I think when everything comes together, and he sees the script, I know that Mitch can take care of all of this.

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If you’re a fan of Jeffrey’s, by the way, he’s teaching an acting workshop in Los Angeles on March 21st. You can find out more information at jeffreytambor.net.

And if you love Arrested Development, you probably love other things that are awesome, so check out our archive for in-depth interviews you’ll love with folks like Rob Corddry, John Hodgman and Jack Handey.