Judd Apatow's Next Directorial Effort Announced

My in-depth ramblings on Judd Apatow's next project are after the jump.

so before I go on, here's the story from Variety:

Judd Apatow has tapped Adam Sandler, Seth Rogen and Leslie Mann to star in the next comedy he'll direct.

Untitled pic will be a co-production of Universal Pictures and Sony Pictures Entertainment, with production to start in late summer or early fall.

Apatow, the sole writer on the project, is keeping the plot under wraps. While the studios will split the costs, U will distribute worldwide. Dealmaking is under way with his cast, and producing credits are still being worked out.

Apatow continues to work with familiar faces: He and Sandler collaborated to write, with Robert Smigel, "Don't Mess With the Zohan," the Sandler starrer that Columbia will release June 6. Rogen and Mann starred in Apatow's first two feature directing efforts, "The 40-Year-Old Virgin" and "Knocked Up."

Mann (who is married to Apatow) stars with Owen Wilson in "Drillbit Taylor," which Rogen co-wrote and Apatow produced. Paramount releases the comedy March 21.

Apatow also produced "Forgetting Sarah Marshall," the comedy that stars Jason Segel, who, like Rogen, began in the ensemble of the Apatow-exec produced TV series "Freaks and Geeks" and "Undeclared." Universal releases that comedy April 18.

Sandler is shooting the Adam Shankman-directed comedy "Bedtime Stories" for Disney, while Mann stars opposite Zac Efron in the Burr Steers-directed "17 Again" for New Line. Rogen, who lends his voice to "Horton Hears a Who," which Fox releases Friday, is shooting "Zack and Miri Make a Porno."

http://www.variety.com/article/VR1117982103.html?categoryid=13&cs=1

okay. now to dive in.

• First off, the big story of this is that Adam Sandler has been cast as the lead in the movie. This is pretty startling news in that for Judd's previous two movies (The 40-Year-Old Virgin, and Knocked Up for those in a cave) he has gone with smaller stars that went to break out with the movie (Steve Carell and Seth Rogen for those, again, living under a cave).
  
  It's not surprising that Judd would work with Adam, because they have been buddies since College. Judd also did some re-writes to some of Sandler's movies (Happy Gilmore, The Wedding Singer, and Big Daddy), and also co-wrote Sandler's upcoming comedy Don't Mess With The Zohan. So their involvement isn't surprising at all. It's just surprising that it's one of Judd's movies. I think it's fascinating stuff, and I think Judd with push Sandler to not do his usual shtick, and make it more realistic. Something that Paul Thomas Anderson did amazingly in his film Punch-Drunk Love, which is Sandler's finest work as an actor. Judd should make Adam do some of his best work to date while also being very funny.



• It wouldn't be an Apatow film without Seth Rogen in there somewhere. Really glad he's in this, because his projects were lining up to not working with Judd for a bit (Zach and Miri Make A Porno, Observe and Report). While both of those movies sound fantastic, Seth is always best when is working with the Apatow crew.



• It also wouldn't be an Apatow film without Leslie Mann either. Besides being Judd's wife, Leslie is a very talented and hilarious actress. While I enjoy Kevin Smith's films, his inclusion to always put his wife Jennifer Schwallbach in his movies is very ill-advised. I don't think she's a good actress, she isn't funny, and she just brings nothing to her roles, in my opinion. it seems like Jenn is forcing Kevin to put her in all of his movies. While in the case of Leslie, she is just tremendous. She should be someone always in Judd's movies even if they weren't married, because she does a great job every time she's on screen.



• I also can't help but be remembered of the episode of Undeclared where Adam Sandler visits the dorm with Seth Rogen's Ron there. The exchanges between Sandler and Rogen in that episode were fantastic, and I hope we get more of them with this new movie.



• I also think it's hilarious how both Universal Picture and Sony are teaming up to produce it. They are the studios in which Apatow has worked with the most. With Universal he has The 40-Year-Old Virgin, Knocked Up, Forgetting Sarah Marshall, Five-Year Engagement, A Whole New Hugh, and some others. While at Sony's Columbia Pictures he has Talladega Nights, Superbad, Walk Hard, Step Brothers, Pineapple Express, The Year One, and others. They both couldn't handle losing him, and this sure-to-be huge hit so I guess they decided to partner up. Just goes to show how big Apatow has gotten over the past few years.



• So yeah, there is no title or plot details at all as it says in the story. Just left here speculating of what it could be. I have heard that Judd wants to try to make a movie about addiction the same way he made movies about sex, and pregnancy. Whatever it is, i'll be there opening day.

Whenever new details of this project emerge, i'll be posting them on my blog. Look out in the upcoming days for Benjammin' #4, and whatever else pops in my mind at the moment.