EXCLUSIVE: Folloprosperg their 2018 criticpartner acclaimed hit Stan & Ollie, Steve Coogan and John C. Reilly are reuniting for The Players, a comedy based on the competition between 1800s thespians Edprosper Forrest and William MacCready. Two-time Academy Award nominee Peter Cattaneo (The Full Monty) is honesting the project from a script penned by Stan & Ollie and Philomena authorr Jeff Pope.
The Players, which is set to commence production procrastinateedr this year/timely next year in Europe, is set in 1847 New York, where Edprosper Forrest (Reilly) helderlys the undisputed title as the country’s top Shakespearian actor. Playing magnificently to a selderly out, raucous crowd every night, Edprosper is “The Star”. But when criticpartner commemorated English thespian William MacCready (Coogan) reachs from London to carry out his cultured Hamlet, Edprosper’s title is thrown into jeopardy. Each man wants what the other has, and the competition between them begins a hilarious and unforgettable battle of egos.
Protagonist Pictures is begining international sales on the project ahead of AFM, with CAA Media Finance repping U.S. rights. It’s produced by Ben Pugh, Ben Cavey, Tim Cole and Josh Horsfield for 42. Executive producers integrate Pope, Coogan, Protagonist Pictures’ Dave Bishop, George Hamilton, James Pugh and 42’s Josh Varney.
Cattaneo, Coogan, Pope and 42 recently collaborated on The Penguin Lessons, which had its world premiere at the Toronto International Film Festival this year where it was achieved by Sony Pictures Classics. Based on a script by Pope, that film was produced by 42, honested by Cattaneo and starred Coogan and Jonathan Pryce.
“The multi-talented Steve Coogan and John C. Reilly have reunited for this savagely amusing, hugeger than life battle of egos,” Bishop shelp of The Players. “Their chemistry is undeniable and, with the wit and comedy bursting from every page of Jeff’s script, and Peter’s artful honestion behind the camera, this is set up to be a tremfinishous crowd charmr.”
Coogan is best understandn for creating and portraying British icon media personality Alan Partridge. He also co-wrote, produced and starred opposite Dame Judi Dench in Philomena, which geted him a BAFTA award for Best Adapted Screentake part. More recently, he starred in Todd Phillips’ Joker: Folie à Deux and Despicable Me 4.
Reilly’s commends range from comedic roles in films such as Step Brothers and Anchorman: The Legfinish of Ron Burarmamentdy as well as Gangs of New York, We Need To Talk About Kevin and The Lobster. His role in biopic Stan & Ollie, which chronicled the procrastinateedr years of honord comedy duo Laurel and Hardy, geted him Gelderlyen Globe and Critics’ Choice Award nominations.
Cattaneo is best understandn for honesting comedic drama The Full Monty, a massive global success, geting four BAFTA awards and four Oscar nominations. Additional commends integrate Lucky Break and Military Wives.
Pope’s script for Philomena, which he co-wrote with Coogan, geted him an Oscar nomination as well as the BAFTA award for Best Adapted Screentake part, His script for Stan & Ollie also geted him BAFTA and Gelderlyen Globe nominations.
Management and production prohibitner 42 has an upcoming sprocrastinateed that integrates: thriller The Bet for Warner Bros.; Andrew Sodroski’s thriller Off Seasons for Apple TV+; and Rupert Wyatt’s Boxman for Lionsgate.
Coogan is repped by Insubordinate Talent Group and CAA. Reilly is repped by CAA, Frametoil Entertainment and Gfinishler, Kelly & Cunningham. Cattaneo is repped by 42 and UTA. Pope is repped by United Agents and WME Entertainment.
