Judd Apatow and Universal Pictures have picked up a trio of comedy pitches from Aziz Ansari and Jason Woliner.
Ansari who has played many supporting comedic roles in recent years, currently stars opposite Amy Poehler on NBC’s Parks and Recreation. He also worked together with Woliner on the MTV sketch comedy show Human Giant. They will work together to write at least one of the projects, which will be produced via Apatow’s Universal-based shingle and star Ansari.
The projects are all vastly different. The first, tentatively titled Let’s Do This, is a road movie about two guys working for a motivational speaking company. The second, currently untitled, follows a disgraced cosmonaut who is forced to return to outer space to clear his name. The third, also untitled, sprang from Ansari’s supporting role in Apatow’s 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 films, whose loglines are being held tightly 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 next be seen in Nick Stoller’s Get Him to the Greek, which Apatow is producing. His Comedy Central stand-up special Intimate Moments for a Sensual Evening, which Woliner directed, will air on Jan. 17, with a CD and DVD set for release on Jan. 19.
Woliner is currently directing the pilot Eagleheart, starring Chris Elliott, for Cartoon Network’s Adult Swim. He recently directed an episode of Parks and Recreation and several segments for HBO’s upcoming series Funny or Die Presents.
Source: Variety
