What’s Paul Reubens up to these days aside from playing Jon Lovitz’s character from “Happiness” in Todd Solondz’s quasi-follow-up, “Life During Wartime”?
Oh, you know, he’s developing a new film and Judd Apatow is helping out, nice.
“Let’s face it, the world needs more Pee-Wee Herman,” Apatow told Variety today, confirming he’ll be the producer on this new film. “I am so excited to be working with Paul Reubens — who is an extraordinary and groundbreaking actor and writer. It’s so great to watch him return with such relevance.”
The project is already set-up at Universal (where Apatow has a multi-film deal), and Reubens will be writing with the acting/writing prodigy Paul Rust who had a small role in “Inglourious Basterds,” and co-starred in “I Love You, Beth Cooper” (Rust wrote for “Human Giant” and Aziz Ansari and Apatow are obviously tight having several projects on the go together).
Plot details are thin, but apparently it will be a in a road movie built around “a gigantic adventure.” Hell, we’re ok with that.
Tim Burton might be one of our least favorite directors at the moment, but “Pee-wee’s Big Adventure” is his pièce de résistance and truthfully belongs on the Criterion Collection its so good (no, we’re not joking; the campaign starts right here). It’s a shame Phil Hartman is not around to make a cameo in this one. Maybe at least James Brolin? Let’s hope so.
In related Apatowian news, cable channel IFC has picked up the rights to the filmmakers cult TV shows, “Freaks & Geeks” and “Undeclared,” the fertile training ground that spawned talent like James Franco, Seth Rogen, Jason Segel, Martin Starr, Jay Baruchel and many more. If you haven’t yet seen these (relatively) seminal and enjoyable works and you have cable, they’ll soon be no excuse.
Working title: The 58 Year-Old Virgin. Bring it.
Can't be worse than Big-Top Pee Wee, right?