WhereasZac EfronandSeth Rogenonce sparred in theNeighborsfranchise, Efron has now signed on to replace Rogen inKing of the Jungle, the indie comedy about wacko tech magnateJohn McAfee.
Crazy, Stupid, LovefilmmakersGlenn FicarraandJohn Requaare directing from a script byScott AlexanderandLarry Karaszewski, the Emmy-winning duo behindAmerican Crime Storyand the current Netflix sensationDolemite Is My Name.
The film follows a Wired journalist namedAri Furman(Efron), who accepts what he thinks is a run-of-the-mill assignment to interview McAfee, the creator of the McAfee Antivirus software. He soon finds himself in the jungles of Belize, where the increasingly paranoid mogul has retreated to a Colonel Kurtz-like compound of guns, sex and madness.
Michael Keatonwas previously attached to star as McAfee but he’s no longer involved, which is a damn shame, as Keaton’s McAfee could’ve been something special. Mark my words, some actor is going to make a meal of this wild role and I can’t wait to see who steps up to the plate. Part of me thinksHugh Lauriewould crush it, but the film’s financiers might prefer a bigger name with a more established track record on the big screen.
Charlie Gogolakwill produceKing of the Junglewith Condé Nast Entertainment, Ficarra and Requa’s Zaftig Films, Epic Entertainment and MadRiver Pictures, whose international arm is selling foreign rights at AFM this week. STX is still in talks to serve as the film’s domestic distributor, and production is expected to start early next year.
Efron is coming off some of the best reviews of his career for his turn as infamous serial killerTed Bundyin the Netflix movieExtremely Wicked, Shockingly Evil And Vile.He also recently co-starred inThe Greatest ShowmanandThe Beach Bum, and he’ll soon be heard as the voice of Fred in WB’s animated Scooby-Doo movieScoob. Efron is represented by CAA and Alchemy Entertainment, and his casting was first reported byDeadline.
Keaton may have exitedKing of the Jungle, but he just signed on to join the ensemble cast ofAaron Sorkin’sTrial of the Chicago 7. Read more about that star-studded project byclicking here.
