November 25, 2009

Judd Apatow continues to stockpile comedies by people he likes working with...

Simply put, he surrounds himself with talented friends, it appears. From Variety:

Judd Apatow and Universal Pictures have picked up a trio of comedy pitches from Aziz Ansari and Jason Woliner.

Ansari, who stars opposite Amy Poehler on NBC laffer "Parks and Recreation," is attached to star in the disparate pics.

Ansari and Woliner, who previously worked together on the MTV cult skein “Human Giant,” will team to write at least one of the projects, which will be produced via Apatow’s Universal-based shingle.

Thematically, the projects have nothing to do with one another. The first, tentatively titled “Let’s Do This,” is a road movie about two guys who work for a motivational speaking company. The second, which is untitled, follows a disgraced cosmonaut (Ansari) who is forced to return to outer space to clear his name. The third, also untitled, sprang from Ansari’s supporting role in the Apatow-helmed comedy “Funny People.”

“We didn’t expect all three to work,” said Ansari. “We had a breakfast meeting with Judd and pitched them. We were like, ‘Which one do you like?’ He wanted all three.”

Woliner is attached to direct the pics, whose loglines are being under wraps. “We are hesitant to say too much about our ideas,” joked Ansari. “A few years ago, we announced our new idea about a film where the world ended in the year 2014. We have since had to stop developing this movie.”

Ansari will be seen next year in director Nick Stoller’s “Get Him to the Greek,” which Apatow is producing for Universal. His Comedy Central standup special “Intimate Moments for a Sensual Evening,” which Woliner helmed, will air on Jan. 17, with a CD and DVD set for release on Jan. 19.

Woliner is now directing the pilot “Eagleheart,” starring Chris Elliott, for Cartoon Network’s Adult Swim. He recently directed an episode of NBC’s “Parks and Recreation” and several segments for HBO’s upcoming series “Funny or Die Presents.”

-Thoughts?

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