Jim Carrey reveals that this Oscar Winning writer/director almost directed Ace Ventura 2

Some days you can report the news and it will be “comic-book” movie this or “Star Wars” that, but some days you get a nugget of information that both shocks you and makes you think “Wow, that would have been something!” – today is one of those days.

Golden Globe Winner Jim Carrey has been at the Toronto International Film Festival promoting his new film – well, old film per se – Jim & Andy: The Great Beyond, a documentary that showcases the unseen behind-the-scenes shenanigans that took place on Man on the Moon, when Carrey portrayed legendary comedian Andy Kaufman. For those who don’t know the tale, Carrey WAS Kaufman almost every day on set (except when he played Kaufman’s alter-ego Tony Clifton) and would not answer to Jim, only Andy.

Now filmmaker Chris Smith (American Movie) and producer Spike Jonze have used the footage to make the documentary that examines both Carrey’s work on the film, his career and the “art of acting” amongst other things. And while doing a Q&A at the festival (via Screen Crush), Carrey and Jonze took to the stage where Carrey shared a nostalgic secret: Jonze almost directed Ace Ventura: When Nature Calls.

“I’ve been wanting to do something with Spike forever,” Carrey told the audience.

“I was stupid enough to turn him down to direct ‘Ace [Ventura] 2, cause I had no idea who he was. And he came in and pitched all kinds of shit, and he was about to take over the world and I didn’t know it. I was like ‘I don’t know, this guy’s new.’ And I’ve been kicking myself ever since.”

Ace 2, released in 1995, was around the time Jonze was known as music director but on that occasion, he didn’t get the job. Maybe one day the two creatives will join forces for a proper feature in the near future. Being Jim Carrey anyone?

Jim & Andy: The Great Beyond has been snapped up by Netflix with a release date still to be confirmed.