Because the real world has finally become a movie, though probably not the movie we all necessarily wanted it to be, Hollywood creatives have already started adapting the ongoing global circumstances into big and small screen adventures. Next in line to cast his filmmaking eye over the situation is comedic producer, writer and director Judd Apatow, who has signed an exclusive deal with Netflix to bring his untitled Pandemic Comedy straight to streaming.
The movie will reportedly follow a group of actors and actresses stuck inside a pandemic bubble at a hotel attempting to complete a film. Netflix are very excited about the project and are planning to start meeting with prospective actors as early as next week. Insiders have also claimed that, thanks to the sheer number of high-profile roles in the movie, we could end up with another star-studded ensemble cast similar to that in director Rian Johnson’s Knives Out. Could we end up with Judd Apatow reaching out to his frequent collaborators Seth Rogen, Paul Rudd, and Leslie Mann? Here’s hoping.
Of course, the idea could not be timelier, and while many are no doubt rolling their eyes at the idea of another upcoming movie using the state of the world as a basis for the story, it might be a nice escape to see it through the eyes of Apatow.
The untitled movie will be directed by Apatow who will be working from a script he has co-written with long-time South Park writer Pam Brady. Barry Mendel, who has worked alongside Apatow on many occasions, will serve as executive producer.
The deal sees Apatow move away from Universal for the first time, with all his previous feature films, including the likes of The 40-Year-Old Virgin, Knocked Up and Trainwreck, having been made under the banner of the well-known studio. Universal and Apatow most recently teamed on the comedy The King of Staten Island, which became one of the first major movie releases to skip theaters and go straight to Premium VOD. Following the critical acclaim of the movie, Universal and Apatow are now preparing an awards campaign for the movie.
While we await Apatow’s comedic look at the current situation, audiences have the Michael Bay-produced thriller Songbird to remind them of our crushing reality. Set four years into quarantine the COVID-23 virus has mutated and infected Americans are now being ripped from their homes and forced into quarantine camps known as Q-Zones.
Amid this dystopian landscape, a fearless courier, Nico, who’s immune to the deadly pathogen, finds hope and love with Sara, though her lockdown prohibits them from physical contact. When Sara is believed to have become infected, Nico races desperately across the barren streets of Los Angeles in search of the only thing that can save her from imprisonment…or worse.
Directed by Adam Mason, who co-wrote the screenplay with Simon Boyes, and produced by Michael Bay, Adam Goodman, Andrew Sugerman and Eben Davidson, Songbird stars KJ Apa and Sofia Carson as the star-crossed couple at the movie’s center, with Craig Robinson, Bradley Whitford, Peter Stormare, Alexandra Daddario, Paul Walter Hauser and Demi Moore in supporting roles. It was recently announced that Songbird will be released through premium video on demand on December 11, 2020, by STXfilms. This comes to us from Deadline.
