Ricky Gervais to write and direct new Hollywood film
Ricky Gervais is to write, direct and star in a new Hollywood movie.
Eric Bana will lead the cast in Special Correspondents, a "satirical comedy drama" about a struggling New York-based radio journalist whose arrogance and decadent lifestyle has hindered his career.
"With his job on the line he fakes front line war reports from the comfort of his hideout above a Spanish restaurant in the heart of Manhattan," producers explained today.
Filming is scheduled to begin in Spring 2015, between Vancouver, Canada, and on location in New York City.
In August it was confirmed that Gervais will reprise his celebrated The Office character of David Brent for a new film entitled Life On The Road, scheduled for release in 2015.
Meanwhile, Gervais is also working on producing a final, special episode of his Channel 4 comedy-drama, Derek; and rumours persist about a return for his BBC Two sitcom Life's Too Short, which stars Warwick Davis.
Having completed the script for the Derek finale last week, Gervais wrote: "What I seem to be proving is that I can't just focus on one project. I never do. I'm usually doing three or four things at once. This is because I do everything myself.
"Usually, an actor can flit from project to project never having to worry about funding, distribution, writing or editing. I've been working on something for a year before I film it, and then a year after by the time I've edited it and run around the world screaming 'Please fucking watch this film wot I made!'"
Gervais's other Hollywood film roles include starring alongside The Muppets in their recent caper, Muppets Most Wanted; The Invention of Lying; Ghost Town; and the Night at the Museum film series. A third instalment in the comedy-fantasy-adventure franchise will be released on 19th December.
Special Correspondents is likely to be released in late 2015 or 2016.