Judd Apatow is perhaps best known in the public for his work as a director, but it's his prolific work as a producer that has given him opportunity to work with some of the funniest talents in the entertainment industry. From Anchorman to Bridesmaids to the television series Freaks and Geeks, he has been behind some of the best comedies of the last two decades and helped extend the reach of some very funny people. Next up on that list? The boys in the musical group The Lonely Island.
Variety has gotten word that Judd Apatow and Universal Pictures have struck a deal with Andy Samberg, Akiva Schaffer and Jorma Taccone that will see them all work together on an upcoming movie. The report says that the project began based on a pitch by the three writers/actors, and that the plan is for all three to star and produce. All that is known about the film plot-wise at this point is that it will be set in the world of music.
This setting is pretty unsurprising given that music is what The Lonely Island is best known for. The trio first started getting recognized for their work on Saturday Night Live, and they have released three albums: 2009's "Incredibad," 2011's "Turtleneck & Chain," and 2013's "The Wack Album." In case you've never heard of them - which I imagine isn't many of you - you can listen to one of the biggest, earliest hits below (though you should know that it's very NSFW):
Akiva Schaffer and Jorma Taccone will co-direct the film - and it's worth noting that they both have a mixed past in that department. Schaffer made his directorial debut in 2007 with the comedy Hot Rod, which starred Samberg and Taccone, and while the movie has grown a small cult following, it was a bomb at the box office. His feature follow-up, The Watch, had a bigger, A-list cast, but wasn't as fortunate in the long run. In addition to under-performing at the box office, the film was also hacked and slashed by critics. Taccone, meanwhile, has only directed one feature, and it was basically the same story as Hot Rod, only on steroids. 2010's MacGruber was famously an epic fail at the box office - pulling in only $4 million during its May opening weekend - but has since gone on to get a huge fan following.
The Lonely Island movie is obviously very early in development, so it will be a while until we see the finished product. In the meantime, Judd Apatow's next directorial effort - the Amy Schumer-starring Trainwreck - will be in theaters July 2015.
