After slowly coming together amid rumours about directors and casting choices, scathing drama The Comedian will finally see the light of day with Robert De Niro and Kristen Wiig in the lead roles and Sean Penn behind the camera.
The film has been talked about for more than a year, but little was locked in until mentions of Penn directing and De Niro starring began to crop up this past June.
Now, De Niro will officially star as an angry comic who is looking to get back to the fame he enjoyed playing a popular TV character. Trouble is, he has real rage issues and is sentenced to community service after smacking an annoying audience member in the head with a microphone. But then he meets a woman (Wiig) who brings some happiness into his life.
It sounds like an obvious thematic sibling to De Niro’s **King Of Comedy **(albeit a lot less weird and stalkery) and it’s good to see Penn back directing. Art Linson, who has worked as a producer with both, is behind the script, which he co-wrote with Jeffrey Ross.
Penn is aiming to start shooting in the spring.