Josh Gad has joined the cast of the upcoming comedy, Russ and Roger Go Behind, to portray late film critic Roger Ebert.
Gad joins a short cast the includes Will Ferrell. Ferrell will portray the role of filmmaker Russ Meyer, a sexploitation specialist responsible for Gals of the Naked West and Faster Pussycat! Kill! Kill! Eventually Meyer landed a deal with 20th Century Fox and produced, wrote and directed the X-rated camp classic Beyond the Valley of the Dolls. Ebert, famously co-wrote the script.
In 1960, the film critic and filmmaker connected after Ebert wrote a letter of appreciation to Meyer. Together the two lit a fire under the Hollywood establishment and produced the first X-rated film released by a major studio, the aforementioned Beyond the Valley of the Dolls.
Josh Gad was attached to the project dating back to last winter, but negotiations stalled. He was most recently seen in the Adam Sandler film, Pixels. Other notable screen screen credits include Jobs and The Wedding Ringer. Gad recently wrapped up shooting in the Disney live action adaptation of Beauty and the Beast and is currently lending his voice to the Angry Birds movie project.
Michael Winterbottom (The Face of an Angel) will direct the film with Chris Cluess (TV’s MADtv) penning the script. David Permut, Mark Amin and Richard Waltzer will produce the film.
Production isn’t expected to begin until later this year.
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