Apatow’s Big Comeback? Glen Powell Teams Up for Laugh-Out-Loud Country-Western Smash

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Glen Powell’s fame is climbing steadily, as he collaborates with renowned comedian Judd Apatow for an upcoming movie. Although he has been acting in productions such as “Everybody Wants Some” and “Scream Queens” for quite some time, it’s recent roles like those in “Top Gun: Maverick,” “Anyone but You,” “Hit Man,” and “Twisters” that have boosted his broader recognition. With projects lined up like Edgar Wright’s reboot of “The Running Man,” the Hulu series “Chad Powers,” and the thriller “Huntington,” it seems Glen Powell shows no signs of slowing down in his busy acting career.

According to Variety, Universal Pictures is quickly moving forward with an original comedy about a struggling country-western artist, penned by Judd Apatow and Glenn Powell. Both Apatow (who will also direct) and Powell (who will star in the film) are involved in writing the script. This upcoming project marks Apatow’s seventh film with Universal Pictures, as his previous works like “The 40-Year-Old Virgin,” “Knocked Up,” “Funny People,” “This is 40,” “Trainwreck,” and “The King of Staten Island” were all distributed by the studio. Additionally, this collaboration reunites Powell with Universal Pictures after their successful box office hit “Twisters.” Kevin Misher is also attached as a producer for this film, having previously held the position of president of production at Universal from 1996 to 2001.

Glen Powell Could Help Judd Apatow Revive the Comedy Genre’s Box Office

It’s no wonder that Powell is penning the script for the unnamed western comedy, given his extensive writing background. He previously worked on a reboot of ‘Captain Planet’, collaborated with director Richard Linklater on the highly-acclaimed 2024 film ‘Hit Man’, and co-created the upcoming Hulu sports comedy ‘Chad Powers’ (based on a character created by Eli Manning). Interestingly, all of his previous screenwriting projects were adaptations, but this comedy is an original concept he developed with Judd Apatow.

The announcement that Judd Apatow is set to direct a new comedy movie will undoubtedly spark enthusiasm among fans who reminisce about the mid-2000s, an era where Apatow’s comedies ruled the box office. As both a director and producer, Apatow played a pivotal role in shaping a new wave of comedic actors, giving prominence to stars like Seth Rogen, Jason Segel, Paul Rudd, Will Ferrell, Steve Carell, and numerous others.

However, after the underperformance at the box office of his ambitious dramedy ‘Funny People’, Apatow’s films started to experience a downturn. ‘Trainwreck’ was a box office success in 2015, but his subsequent film, ‘The King of Staten Island’, was released straight to streaming due to the COVID-19 pandemic. His most recent directorial effort, ‘The Bubble’, premiered on Netflix in 2022 and received harsh criticism from critics, with many labeling it as the lowest point in his career.

There’s been a significant shift in viewing habits for comedy movies since the COVID-19 pandemic, with audiences preferring to stream them at home instead of going to the cinema. This is evident in the underperformance of “Bros,” a gay-romantic comedy produced by Judd Apatow and starring Billy Eichner, at the box office. However, teaming up a director like Judd Apatow with an up-and-coming talent such as Glen Powell might be the key to drawing audiences back to the cinemas. Powell has demonstrated his box office potential with the romantic comedy “Anyone but You,” and if he can replicate that success in a comedic role, he will undeniably cement his status as a movie star.

Variety

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2025-04-19 03:48