“Judd Apatow inks three-film deal at Universal”
As Universal rolls out Apatow’s latest writing-directing effort Funny People, they also sewed up Apatow’s services for his next three directing gigs:
On the eve of the release of his latest movie, “Funny People,” Judd Apatow has signed with Universal to write and direct three films.
The deal, which came together over the past two months, shows the studio’s considerable faith in the filmmaker.
Universal gave Apatow considerable leeway in making “Funny People,” his most personal and serious film, including final cut on the nearly 2 1/2-hour, $75 million movie starring — Adam Sandler and Jonah Hill. Reviews have been mixed, though the film is expected to open strongly.
Interesting because Apatow has produced 6 previous movies at Columbia:
While a longtime writer and producer, Apatow has only directed three films, all of them for Universal.
“The 40-Year-Old Virgin,” released in 2005, helped make Steve Carell a star, grossing $177 million worldwide ($109 million domestic). The film was the first example of what has become Apatow’s trademark comedic style — male-centric, nerdy, sometimes juvenile and always heartfelt — which has been frequently imitated by other filmmakers in the last few years.
Two years later, he gave birth to “Knocked Up,” which earned critical raves, turned Seth Rogen into a star and made more than $219 million worldwide ($148.7 million domestic).
Re Funny People, many people have brought up Apatow’s short-lived TV series “Freak and Geeks” in noting that Apatow has already proven he could combine comedy and drama. I’ll go back even further to my favorite all-time comedy series, (yes, even beating out my beloved “The Dick Van Dyke Show”), HBO’s “The Larry Sanders Show”. Apatow was a consulting producer, then co-executive producer on the series from 1993–1998. Absolutely brilliant. I rummaged through YouTube clips from the series and had to pick this one, featuring the late, great Warren Zevon:
Unlike Adam Sandler’s character (George Simmons) in Funny People who beat his near-death illness, Zevon wasn’t so lucky. We miss you, Warren.
UPDATE: Next up for Apatow, he’s producing this comedy:
Title: GET HIM TO THE GREEK
Genre: Comedy
Studio: Universal Pictures
Production Company: Apatow Productions
Distributor: Universal Pictures
Commitment: Greenlight
Production Status: Production
Auspices: Judd Apatow (EP, P), Phil Eisen (EP), Rodney Rothman (EP), Richard Vane (EP), David L. Bushell (P), Nicholas Weinstock (P), Nicholas Stoller (D, W), Jeanne Mark McCarthy (CD)
Cast: Pink, Christina Aguilera, Emily Blunt as Jackie Q, Russell Brand, Rose Byrne, Sean Diddy Combs, Jonah Hill, Elisabeth Moss, Katy Perry, Dee Snider
Logline: A newly college-graduated insurance adjuster is hired to escort out-of-control lothario rock star Aldous Snow to a concert gig at the Greek Theater in Los Angeles.
Sounds remarkably like the comedy My Favorite Year (1982):
It’s 1950’s New York and the age of live television. Benjy Stone is a young writer on a major comedy-variety show. He is assigned to chaperon that week’s guest Alan Swann, a faded movie-star and renowned womanizer and drinker. Benjy’s job is to try and keep Swann sober and above all else, make sure he shows up for the live broadcast on Saturday evening.
“Similar but different… similar but different…”
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