Last year, a Puck report tackled Judd Apatow’s difficulties in getting some of his passion projects greenlit by any of the major studios. Apatow’s last scripted feature was the $50M Netflix bust, “The Bubble.” He’s done some documentary work on the side, but what he’s really itching for is a return in the directing game.
That opportunity has finally arrived. Earlier this year, reports surfaced that he’d be teaming up with Glen Powell for an original comedy — and now, a second Apatow project has just been announced.
Stand-up comedian Nikki Glaser and Apatow are developing a new, untitled studio comedy being set up at Universal Pictures. The film is described as an “edgy” romantic comedy — which, to be fair, could describe almost every movie Apatow has written and directed.
Apatow has a long history of collaborating with comedians who co-write and star in their own stories, most notably Amy Schumer (“Trainwreck”) and Pete Davidson (“The King of Staten Island”).
In the aughts, no one ruled comedy quite like Apatow. His reach influenced the comedic landscape, from producing “Superbad, “Pineapple Express” and “Bridesmaids” to HBO’s landmark series, “Girls.” He was untouchable. Apatow even turned out to be a more-than-decent director, helming these smartly clever, adult-oriented gut-busters, such as “The 40-Year-Old Virgin” and “Knocked Up.”
However, this current decade, Apatow has not had the kind of reach and influence he once did. His brand of male-dominated, bro-ish, comedy style hasn’t aged well in the #MeToo era. The result is that his last few directorial efforts, very safe and mundane works, haven’t been that stellar, and it all came crashing down with “The Bubble.”
Last fall, Apatow was shopping around an R-rated comedy script that he planned to direct. Zach Galafanakis was set to star as a “quasi-canceled” comedian. The pitch failed, nobody wanted to bite, and that led to Galafanakis leaving the project and Apatow shelving the entire thing. Studios also passed on another R-rated Apatow comedy; this one was going to star stand-up legend Katt Williams. It was set up as Williams’ breakthrough movie role as an aging comedian.
Last year, Apatow told The Playlist that he had written a new script, was shopping it around, and wanted it to be his next directing feature, that is, in his own words, “if they would allow me to make it.”