Steve Carell and Anne Hathaway: Wisecracking in "Get Smart"

Steve Carell did not necessarily see the Maxwell Smart in himself. Everyone else did, including costar Anne Hathaway and the studio behind the big-screen "Get Smart," which simply called Carell in and offered him the job, no questions asked.

Carell takes on the title role created by Don Adams in the 1960s TV show about a brainy but bungling spy, with Hathaway playing his supremely capable partner, Agent 99, a part originated by Barbara Feldon.

Created by Mel Brooks and Buck Henry as a comic response to James Bond and other espionage adventures, "Get Smart" has endured in syndication, in follow-up movies and a short-lived second TV series in the 1990s.

Directed by Peter Segal, the new "Get Smart" chronicles Max's rise from crackerjack analyst to field agent for U.S. spy outfit Control, paired with dubious 99 as they try to foil a plot to distribute nukes to unstable governments.

The cast includes Dwayne Johnson as a star Control agent, Alan Arkin as the Chief and bad guy Terence Stamp, who played Kryptonian supervillain Zod and made Christopher Reeve kneel before him in "Superman II."

Carell and Hathaway chatted with The Associated Press, fondly recalling Feldon and the late Adams, discussing the show's longevity and sharing a funny Zod tale.

People tend to be skeptical about TV adaptations, but when Steve was cast as Max, they kind of nodded and said, "Good choice." What do you and Don Adams have in common?

Carell: There's a bit of a physical resemblance that would be part of the equation. But aside from that, it's hard talking about him in the same breath as myself, because I don't aspire to be as good as he was. He's iconic and the way he did the character is iconic, and I don't have any pretense of trying to live up to that. If anything, I'm just trying to get an essence of what he did as opposed to any sort of imitation or channeling.

Hathaway: I thought it was perfect casting. He pays me to say this, but Steve's being very, very humble, because his take on Max is just spectacular. I think the reason Steve Carell seems to fit [glances at Carell and laughs] — I can't look at you while I'm saying this ...

Carell: I love it when you use my whole name.

Hathaway: The thing about Steve stepping into Don's shoes that makes sense is Steve's take on comedy. He can do the big, over-the-top, slightly absurd stuff really well, but he also does the real subtle moments really well. And the thing about Don Adams, he never played Maxwell Smart as a fumbling goon. He played him as a very serious man who didn't know he was in a comedy. And Steve's really good at doing that. A lot of his characters don't know that they're funny, and that's what makes him hilarious.