Writer-DirectorAdam McKayhas come a long way from his early days as a head writer on Saturday Night Live. His long-standing career is marked by comedic classics such asTalladega Nights,Vice,Anchorman, andThe Big Short. His most recent film,Don’t Look Up,had a smashing debut on Netflix and brought the divisiveness of America’s political discourse, environmental concerns, and social media obsession to the forefront of the apocalyptic satirical comedy. Now, McKay plans to take his political satire subject matter to new heights in his forthcoming project,Average Height, Average Build,as reported byTHR.
The project has been brewing for some time, with McKay referencing the project during a Q&A at the 2022 Tribeca Film Festival. He mentioned that the script he was working on at the time would tackle “big, dirty money” and defined the project as a comedy. A year later,Average Height, Average Buildis described as “part serial killer thriller, part comedy.” The forthcoming project follows a murderer who uses political lobbyists to change the law in order to make it easier for him to kill.
McKay penned the script and is planning to direct the upcoming feature. Several actors are already attached to the project, includingRobert Pattinson, Amy Adams, Robert Downey Jr., Forest Whitaker,and Danielle Deadwyler. The acting heavyweights already confirmed speak to a well-rounded ensemble cast capable of bringing this serial killer dark comedy to life. However, according to sources close to the project, more cast members are expected to be added in the coming months as the script calls for additional characters to be filled in.
McKay is aiming for a late-summer shoot in Boston, despite the feature’s financial means and future distribution up in the air. Currently,Average Height, Average Builddoes not have a studio attached to the project to help with financing or film distribution.
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Adam McKay Has an Iconic Filmography
Average Height, Average Buildis shaping to be another politically-charged project imbued with comedic and satirical undertones. Whereas his previous works have touched upon the 2008 housing crisis (The Big Short), Cheney’s term as Vice President (Vice), and our climate change emergency (Don’t Look Up), Adam McKay’s next film will address crime and corruption within America’s political sphere.
The pivot towards more politically-infused comedies back in 2008 has become a signifier of McKay’s subsequent work. Throughout the years, each project has successfully ventilated social commentary inspired by real-life circumstances in a manner that was both amusing and digestible for larger audiences.Don’t Look Upis the most recent measure of his success with this fusion, as the film set the record as Netflix’s second-most-watched movie within its first month and landed him a slew of nominations and wins, including four Academy Award noms. One would think that McKay’s proven track record and the shining stars attached toAverage Height, Average Buildwould bring smooth sailing in getting the feature developed. However, as it turns out, the visionary filmmaker faces obstacles in getting his next venture off the ground.
Per the THR report, McKay is struggling to find a studio to come on board the forthcoming comedic political thriller. Even Apple Studios — whom he has a first-look deal with — has not expressed interest in the project. Sources have confirmed that several have passed on the feature, and others are meticulously reviewing the numbers as cost-effective measures have taken the forefront in the industry’s current climate. Additionally, studios must weigh the differing outcomes between theatrical or streaming releases. The latter would require the developer to complete lofty up-front buy-outs for the A-list cast members, which have only fueled reluctance to sign on.
Studio insiders have also mentioned that the film’s subject matter is another area of disinclination. They fear the dark political satire wouldn’t fare well in the current theatrical sphere, though McKay has been adamant that the feature would be attractive to both sides of the political spectrum. The uphill battle McKay faces, even as an Oscar winner, reflects the current climate within Hollywood. Just a few years ago, this project would’ve struck up a competitive situation among studios for the film’s rights. However, now we’ve entered a risk aversion and miserly era within entertainment where liability — financially, thematically, etc. — has made studios less likely to take chances on projects deemed too precarious.
