Apatow & Universal Grab Three Aziz Ansari Pitches
Aziz Ansari to Star in Three Films
I haven’t seen Judd Apatow’s Funny People, but I heard mixed reviews. Mostly, I heard that it was funny but lacked a cohesive through line, and was too long. However, these complaints could be leveled at any of Apatow’s films, and I still enjoyed them, so I’ll eventually check the film out.
One thing I did hear across the board was that comedian Aziz Ansari was great in his limited role in the film. I’ve loved Ansari everywhere I’ve seen him, particularly in Observe and Report, so this is unsurprising.
The great news is that Apatow and Universal Pictures have grabbed the rights to three comedy pitches by Ansari and his writing partner Jason Woliner (who has worked with Aziz on Human Giant and Parks & Recreation). All three scripts have been written for Ansari to star, which is great, because the actor has been hovering right under the surface level of stardom for quite some time.
Variety has the scoop on what each script is like:
“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.”
What do you think? Do these ideas have potential? Are you excited about a triad of starring roles for Ansari, or am I alone in his fandom? Let us know in the comments!
