Seth Rogen and Evan Goldberg are finally set to make their directorial debut on The Apocalypse, according to THR. Sony Pictures will reportedly finance and distribute the dark comedy about the end-of-the-world.
Rogen wrote the script based on a story by Goldberg and Jason Stone, and is set to produce the film along with James Weaver under their Point Grey banner. The hilarious concept is inspired by a short called Jay and Seth vs. The Apocalypse that featured Rogen and Jay Baruchel playing themselves stuck in an apartment after an apocalyptic event. The long gestating project has been in the works since 2008, so it is good to see it moving forward.
To make the film a full-length feature, it has been expanded slightly to include James Franco, Jonah Hill, Danny McBride, and Craig Robinson, all playing themselves "as they are stuck in Franco’s apartment in Los Angeles facing an apocalypse." The hope is to also add to the cast with various cameos.
The budget is reportedly set in the $30 million to $40 million range. A number of studios were interested in the project, but it looks like Sony is close to a deal. Sources say a deal should be finalized soon. At this time there is no news on a production start date or release date, but we will keep you posted.
The deal makes sense for Sony, who have had a good history with Rogen and Goldberg on films like Superbad, Pineapple Express, and Green Hornet. I am interested in seeing this movie come to fruition.
What are your thoughts on this news?