Cancer Comedy Scribe Will Reiser Also Penning Script
The sign of a good creative collaboration: a re-team before your first film even hits the the screens. That’s the m.o. for the creative principas behind, “50/50,” the comedy drama that was once known as “I’m With Cancer.” Co-starring Seth Rogen and written by his friend and surviving cancer patient Will Reiser, the picture is directed by “The Wackness” helmer Jonathan Levine and is co-produced by Rogen’s partner in crime, “Superbad” co-author, Evan Goldberg.
“50/50,” a nod to Joseph Gordon-Levitt’s character’s survival chances in their first film, doesn’t even hit theaters until September 30, but whether its a commercial success or not doesn’t seem to matter. The quartet have just announced their new project and its comedy roadtrip called, “Jamaica.”
Much like Reiser’s personal experiences in “50/50,” he’ll once again draw from real life as the script will be loosely based on a vacation he took with his grandmother to Jamaica of all places when he was 14. Reiser recently brought the idea to Mandate Pictures (who also produced “50/50”); they loved it and are fast tracking it now.
“This is a story that I’ve long wanted to tell. It’s something of a passion project for me, and I couldn’t be more excited to have found it a home at Mandate,” Reiser said in a just delivered press release. Reiser will be co-writing the script with Levine and the filmmaker is also attached to direct. Seth Rogen and Evan Goldberg will co-produce through their Point Grey Pictures shingle.
Meanwhile, “50/50,” hits theaters this fall and co-stars Anna Kendrick, Bryce Dallas Howard, Anjelica Huston and of course stars Joseph Gordon-Levitt. We assume with a September date, the film is probably bound for the Toronto Film Festival. Some Playlist members have even seen it early; we’re curious how auds will react to it.