Joseph Gordon-Levitt May Direct R-Rated Comedy-Musical ‘Wingmen’

The musical is officially back, and it’s coming in all shapes and forms. In February 2016, Universal won the rights to the pitch for R-rated comedy Wingmen. Joseph Gordon-Levitt and Channing Tatum were both already attached to the project as actors, but now Gordon-Levitt is considering stepping into the director’s chair, after the film has found difficulty finding the right fit. If he does, he will serve as writer/producer/actor/director for the film.

Gordon-Levitt is co-writing the screenplay with 21 Jump Street writer Michael Bacall, with the treatment of the script being finished in the fall of last year. Bacall previously worked with Gordon-Levitt in the 2001 film Manic, which Bacall co-wrote and acted in. Bacall also worked with Tatum on 21 Jump Street and 22 Jump Street. 

The story follows two pilots who crash land in Las Vegas. Although details are being kept under wraps, the music is said to include Top 100 and classic tunes, with some raunchy humor. Seth Gordon, James Bobin, and Casey Nicholaw were all approached to direct before Gordon-Levitt considered.  His directorial debut was with the 2013 romantic-comedy Don Jon, which he also starred in.

Marc Platt, the powerhouse producer behind Broadway musicals such as Wicked and If/Then, and films such as Legally Blonde, Into the Woods, The Girl on the Train, and La La Land, will be producing the film, along with Channing Tatum’s production company Free Association and Gordon-Levitt’s production company HitRecord Films.

Gordon-Levitt recently could be seen in Oliver Stone’s film Snowden. Currently, Gordon-Levitt doesn’t have any projects due to hit theaters soon, but is in development and pre-production as an actor/producer for films such as sci-fi/thriller Sovereign, war film K Troop, and thriller In Sight. He also is signed on to star in and produce the film remake of Jim Henson’s Fraggle Rock.

Tatum can next be seen in Logan Lucky alongside Adam Driver, Daniel Craig, Katherine Waterston, Hilary Swank, and Katie Holmes, as well as Kingsman: The Golden Circle with Colin Firth, Julianne Moore, Jeff Bridges, and Halle Berry.