Taking the price of modern-day instant fame as his subject, Man Down director Dito Montiel is next adapting his own novel, The Clapper. Ed Helms will star as the titular Eddie Krumble, with Amanda Seyfried also on board.
What does "clapper" mean in this context? It refers to slacker Krumble's unlikely job as an audience member for hire, available to applaud even the most dismal sit-coms and infomercials. One night he's singled out from the stage by a talk show host - Jay Leno in the book - and his sudden 15 minutes of fame turns his life upside down.
Seyfried will play Judy, the gas station attendent with whom Krumble has a faltering romance, not helped by all the new attention. The third lead should turn out to be Krumble's best buddy Chris Plork, but that role has yet to be cast.
Comparisons to Martin Scorsese's The King Of Comedy are being thrown around, so let's hope that's not just wishful thinking on the part of Helms' production company Pacific Electric. Along with Man Down, Montiel's previous work includes A Guide To Recognising Your Saints and Robin Williams' final film Boulevard.
The Clapper doesn't have a start date yet. Montiel's novel isn't in print in the UK, but is published in the States by Revolver.