While Elijah Wood could just sit back and count his Frodo money on an island somewhere, the actor is using that success to try different things, even if they don't always work out (we're looking at you "The Oxford Murders"). He's taken a strong indie route, lending his talents to a variety of movies including the rom-com "Celeste & Jesse Forever," the absurd comedy "Revenge For Jolly!," the horror remake "Maniac" and more. But perhaps one of his more succesful ventures has been on the small screen with FX series "Wilfred" and he's hoping he can bring that magic to the big screen.
Wood will star in "Wilfred" director Randall Einhorn's feature debut "Late Bloomer." Based on the memoir "Man Made" by Ken Baker, the movie will tell the incredible true story of a man who finds out at 30 he hasn't fully gone through puberty, and after a medical procedure, finds himself fully maturing in a matter of weeks. Sounds perfectly in line with the sort of offbeat material Wood is gravitating towards recently, and we'll see if screenwriters Joe Nussbaum, Paul Kaplan & Mark Torgove have put together something that lives up to the promise of the concept. Production will begin in January. See the full press release below.
Meanwhile, that's not all keeping Wood busy as the man, who already has a record label — Simian Records — is now adding a movie shingle to his CV. Deadline reports that he has teamed with Daniel Noah and Josh C. Waller to form The Woodshed, a company that will shepherd genre material to the big screen. In addition to the upcoming Nightmare City festival they are putting together, the company already has a number of features in the works including future movies with Alex de la Iglesia, Nimrod Antal and more on deck.
“I’ve been a fan of horror and genre cinema in general since I was a child and have become increasingly passionate about the idea of there being a space in which horror films that take their subject matter and characters seriously could be produced,” he said. “What was born out of a conversation of our mutual love for the genre and what we felt was lacking in a broad sense, especially from the U.S. market, became The Woodshed.”
In summary: good on Wood. Seems like he's doing exactly what he wants.
Los Angeles – October 1st 2012. Elijah Wood (THE LORD OF THE RINGS, WILFRED) is set to play the lead role in the new comedy feature film THE LATE BLOOMER from Dignity Film Finance (DFF), it was announced today by the producers. Jesse Israel of Ineffable Pictures, Heidi Jo Markel of Eclectic Pictures will produce and DFF President Maggie Monteith, will executive produce and finance the film.
Expected to go into production in January 2013, Monteith produces the film with Israel, Markel and Brent Emery, (Coup d’Etat Films). Raphael Kryszek, Ineffable Pictures’ founder, is also executive producing.
International sales agent Cargo Entertainment, led by Marina Grasic, Jan Korbelin and Mark Lindsay is on board to handle International distribution rights to the film and will introduce THE LATE BLOOMER to overseas buyers at AFM in November.
Directed by Randall Einhorn (FX’s “WILFRED,” NBC’s “The Office,”), THE LATE BLOOMER is based on the 2001 acclaimed memoir Man Made: A Memoir of My Body by Ken Baker and adapted for the screen by Joe Nussbaum and Paul Kaplan & Mark Torgove. THE LATE BLOOMER is the amazing true story of a man who found out at close to age 30 that he hadn’t yet totally undergone puberty but when the medical condition preventing it was removed, in several short, overwhelming weeks did so. “The combination of Einhorn and Wood is exceptional, as we’ve seen with the success of “WILFRED”,” said Monteith. “I know that they will honor Baker’s true story in a very entertaining way.”
Wood will next be seen in Peter Jackson’s THE HOBBIT: AN UNEXPECTED JOURNEY opposite Martin Freeman, Ian McKellan, Richard Armitage, Orlando Bloom and Cate Blanchett to be released in December 2012 through Warner Bros. Pictures, reprising his starring role in the epic Oscar-winning and worldwide blockbuster film trilogy THE LORD OF THE RINGS. His movie MANIAC, a remake of the 1980 serial-killer classic, premiered at the Cannes Film Festival, and will be released by IFC Midnight early 2013. He is the lead voice on Disney XD’s animated series “Tron: Uprising” and can currently be seen on Season 2 of FX’s “Wilfred.” He is currently filming the psychological thriller GRAND PIANO opposite John Cusack. Wood has starred in several acclaimed films in his young career including CELESTE AND JESSE FOREVER, ETERNAL SUNSHINE OF THE SPOTLESS MIND, EVERYTHING IS ILLUMINATED and BOBBY and provided his voice for Warner Bros. Pictures animated hits, HAPPY FEET and HAPPY FEET TWO.
Einhorn is one of the most prolific directors of cutting-edge television comedy working today. “Wilfred”– the popular FX series which also stars Wood – is currently in its second season. Additional credits include NBC’s “The Office,” CBS’ “Parks and Recreation,” “Nurse Jackie” for Showtime and “It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia” for FX. Einhorn was nominated for two Primetime Emmys for his cinematography on CBS’ “Survivor.”
"THE LATE BLOOMER is the type of wonderful heartfelt comedy that I like to engage in. Puberty can be difficult at best and has the potential to be extremely comedic in normal circumstances,” said Einhorn. “This true story is anything but a normal circumstance. That truth is a new twist on something we all know well and Elijah is just perfect to play the lead role. It is clear to me that Dignity gets my vision for THE LATE BLOOMER and I am delighted to be working with Maggie and her team."