Patton Oswalt doesn’t look like one of the biggest stars in Hollywood (true story: someone who works in this office once walked up to him and said “You look kind of familiar. Did you date my friend Jen?”). Yet slowly but surely, the stand-up comic is establishing himself as one of the funniest – and most in-demand – men in town.

The Wrap is reporting that Oswalt has just signed on to co-star in the upcoming A Very Harold & Kumar Christmas, the third instalment in the beloved stoner comedy franchise. There’s no word yet on which character Patton is set to play, though New York Magazine – which has read the script – speculates that it will be a man whose infant daughter accidentally gets high on drugs.

If anyone can make that scene funny, it might be Oswalt.

Already a star in the world of alternative stand-up comedy, with four acclaimed live albums under his belt, Oswalt first began getting noticed with his recurring role as Doug’s best-friend Spence on the hit TV sitcom The King of Queens.

Since then, he’s starred in Pixar’s brilliant Ratatouille as Remy — the rat who dreamed of being a chef — and in the dark and edgy indie drama Big Fan. The 41-year-old star also popped up in last year’s Matt Damon hit The Informant!

A Very Harold & Kumar Christmas will reunite the two lead potheads who were last seen in Harold & Kumar Escape From Guantanamo Bay. Production on is already underway and the good news is, it’s in 3D.

The bad news is it won’t be in theatres until December 2011.

(Photo by PR Photos)

Story provided by the Dish Information Corporation