Well this is a strange twist of fate. Recently, we learned thatWill ForteandWet Hot American SummerandRole ModelsfilmmakerDavid Wainwereteaming up for a dramatic biopicofNational Lampoonco-founder Douglas Kenney, to be made at Netflix. Now, as production onA Futile and Stupid Gesturegears up to begin later this month, casting is underway to fill a number of celebrity roles, with the key character ofChevy Chaseto be filled by none other than Chase’sCommunityco-star/sometimes feuding partnerJoel McHale.
Indeed,THRreports that McHale is in final talks to portray Chase in the tragic story of Kenney, who co-foundedNational Lampoonwith fellow Harvard students Henry Beard and Robert Hoffman shortly after graduation, forming what would become a cornerstone of American comedy that flourished from a humor magazine into a nationwide brand. The success took its toll on Kenney, who moved to Hollywood to work as a writer on films likeNational Lampoon’s Animal HouseandCaddyshackand subsequently developed a serious drug and alcohol abuse problem. Chase took Kenney to Hawaii to try and lift his spirits but had to return back to Los Angeles for work, and just as Chase was preparing to return to Hawaii, Kenney’s body was found at the bottom of a cliff.
Forte is playing Kenney, whileDomhnall Gleesonis set to portray co-founder Henry Beard, but McHale is a beyond fascinating choice to portray Chase. Will he be able to resist poking fun at Chase, whose irritability on theCommunityset became a running joke? Or will McHale play things completely straight given the subject matter? Kenney died in 1980, following the critical shellacking ofCaddyshack, so McHale will be portraying Chase just on the cusp of superstardom in the feature film world.
Given the talent involved and now the prospect of McHale playing Chase,A Futile and Stupid Gesturehas quickly become one of my most anticipated films currently in development.
Wain most recently co-wrote and directed the hilarious romcom parodyThey Came Together, while McHale is getting ready to shoot the CBS comedy pilotThe Great Indoors.
