Aziz Ansari is making his feature directorial debut with “Good Fortune,” a comedy whose plot is shrouded in secrecy.
Lionsgate has landed rights to the film, which will be written and directed by Ansari. The comedian, who is also starring in “Good Fortune,” has assembled the high-wattage cast of Seth Rogen and Keanu Reeves. Since the logline is being kept under wraps, it’s unclear who the actors are playing in the movie.
The production has been greenlit and will start principal photography next month in Los Angeles. Around the same time, Lionsgate is launching sales in Cannes Film Festival.
“We have indeed found good fortune with this film. We love the script and believe strongly in Aziz as both a performer and a director, “said Lionsgate’s Motion Picture Group chair Joe Drake. “And when you add in Seth and Keanu — two incredible world-class talents — toplining alongside Aziz, this has the potential to be a very special film for us. We moved quickly to land this project once it was available.”
“Good Fortune” is Ansari’s second attempt to make his directorial debut. He was previously working on the comedic drama “Being Mortal” for Searchlight, which was infinitely suspended over complaints about actor Bill Murray’s inappropriate behavior on set.
At the time, Murray commented on the incident by saying, “I did something I thought was funny and it wasn’t taken that way. The movie studio wanted to do the right thing, so they wanted to check it all out and investigate it and so they stopped the production.” The project, which also starred Rogen, was officially scrapped earlier this year. (The upcoming “Good Fortune” is entirely separate from “Being Mortal,” sources close to the film have confirmed to Variety.)
Ansari, a comedian who rose to fame on “Parks and Recreation,” took a break from Hollywood after sexual misconduct allegations were leveled against him in 2018. He since returned to film and television with “Master of None: Moments in Love” and his sixth stand-up special, “Nightclub Comedian.”
“Good Fortune” will be produced by Anthony Katagas, Alan Yang and Ansari. At Lionsgate, the film will be overseen by Brady Fujikawa and Jon Humphrey. Dan Freedman, Phil Strina, John Biondo and Matt Leonetti helped to negotiate the deal for Lionsgate.
Ansari is represented by WME, 3 Arts, Ocean Avenue and Yorn, Levine, Barnes, Krintzman, Rubenstein, Kohner, Endlich & Gellman. Rogen is repped by UTA, Principal Entertainment LA and Felker Toczek Suddleson Abramson McGinnis Ryan. Reeves is represented by WME, Sugar23 and Ziffren Brittenham.
