Bo Burnham’s screenplay Gay Kid and Fat Chick is officially proceeding with production. Now, after about five years in development, it even has someone at the steering wheel, as Paramount Players hired Amy York Rubin to direct the dramedy about teenagers.
According to Variety, the script has been widely-talked about for its brilliance, keeping up its notoriety in film circles and stirring up quite a bit of hype. Needless to say, it seems like a lot of people in the industry have wanted to see this movie hit the big screen. Gay Kid and Fat Chick follows the story on high school pariahs, Alex and Maggie, most likely the sources of the title. Soon, they become completely fed-up with the bully-filled climate of the school, deciding that they should no longer tolerate it, instead choosing to fight back. All the while, Alex and Maggie don their own secret superhero-esque mantles. This plot line is incredibly reminiscent of Burnham’s 2013 song “Nerds” in which he sings about the trials and tribulations of unpopular kids having a hard time in school, and how he “has their backs” through their hard times.
Burnham has experienced recent successes beyond his two Netflix specials What. (2013) and Make Happy (2016). He helmed Eighth Grade, which is set to release July 13, 2018, and he was also recently in the Oscar-nominated film The Big Sick.
Rubin’s most recent directional attributes include episodes of Grownish, Fresh of the Boat, and The Mick, leaving many excited to see what she brings to life during her first foray into film.