While the decade-long drought between feature films will soon end as Roman Coppola continues his work in post on "A Glimpse Inside The Mind Of Charlie Swan III" — his sophomore effort following 2001's "CQ" — he certainly hasn't been lacking in things to do. He's been writing, producing and helming second unit on films for Wes Anderson, Sofia Coppola and Francis Ford Coppola, and as part of The Directors Bureau has been making music videos and commercials. But this is easily the oddest entry of the bunch.
With "The Avengers" swooping into theaters, marketing is in full effect with tie-ins to random products, including Farmers Insurance. Coppola has directed the TV ad for this one and it might be his most anonymous work to date. The spot features J.K. Simmons as Professor Burke, leading a class that draws similarities between being a superhero and a super agent. And then a chalk board explodes. Huh? It's not the first time Simmons or Farmers Insurance has shilled for Marvel, with an ad dropping last year as a tie-in for "X-Men: First Class."
Give it a look below. The spot will start rolling out on TV on April 16th. [MarketWatch]
