Bobby Farrelly directs ‘Champions.’
Preview:
- Bobby Farrelly will direct new comedy ‘Driver’s Ed’
- The movie will see teens stealing their school’s driver’s ed car to go on a road trip.
- ‘Outer Banks’ co-creator Jonas Pate is developing the script with Thomas Moffett.
Though last month’s ‘Dear Santa’ signaled a reunion for the Farrelly brothers –– aka Peter and Bobby Farrelly, who collectively made the likes of ‘Dumb & Dumber,’ ‘There’s Something About Mary’ and ‘Me, Myself and Irene’ –– it appears it was short-lived.
Because Deadline brings word that Bobby has locked down his next film, and it’s a solo effort without mention of Peter.
Farrelly is on board to direct a new movie called ‘Driver’s Ed,’ which certainly sounds like something he can get his teeth into (more on that in a moment), blending silly comedy and heart.
Related Article: Director Bobby Farrelly and Producer Peter Farrelly Talk ‘Dear Santa’
What’s the story of ‘Driver’s Ed?’
(L to R) Chase Stokes as John B, Carlacia Grant as Cleo, Jonathan Daviss as Pope, Madelyn Cline as Sarah Cameron, Rudy Pankow as JJ in ‘Outer Banks.’ Photo: Jackson Lee Davis/Netflix © 2023.
‘Driver’s Ed’ focuses on teens who steal their school’s driver’s ed car to go on a road trip to help a high school senior track down his college-freshman girlfriend and win her back.
The new script comes from ‘An Actor Prepares’ writer Thomas Moffett, who was commissioned to work on it by Jonas Pate, co-creator of Netflix’s Young Adult series ‘Outer Banks,’ and his producing partner/wife Jennifer Pate, who are looking to develop a new set of YA movies.
Here’s what AGC Studio chief Stuart Ford had to say about the new project:
“When the Pates and David Stone brought us this unbelievably charming script, we immediately saw the crowd-pleasing potential of the film with audiences of all ages. To now have a director with Bobby’s amazing commercial track record onboard puts ‘Driver’s Ed’ on a really exciting trajectory towards production early next year.”
What else is Bobby Farrelly working on?
(L to R) Director Bobby Farrelly and Jack Black on the set of Paramount Pictures presents a Farrelly Brothers / Kraymation Films production, a Bobby Farrelly film, ‘Dear Santa’.
Before ‘Driver’s Ed’ happened along to fill the spot in his schedule, Farrelly was attached to direct ‘Sporkinfeesten’ (which is certainly SEO friendly, if a little difficult to spell properly).
The movie is being described as a “finding your roots”-style family vacation comedy loosely inspired by true events, but further plot details remain a mystery.
‘Cursed Friends’ writers Aaron and Will Eisenberg crafted the script as a spec and sold it to Amazon MGM Studios.
Alongside Farrelly, it has the backing of Counterbalance Entertainment –– which is ‘Cobra Kai’ co-creators and showrunners Josh Heald, Jon Hurwitz, and Hayden Schlossberg. They’ll produce the eventual film.
While the new movie doesn’t mean ‘Sporkinfeesten’ is completely off the table, it will at least arrive later, or may even end up with a different director. Since the ‘Cobra Kai’ trio are attached to produce, they could take it on themselves, especially since the series has now produced its final batch of episodes, the last five of which will be on Netflix in the new year.
Will the Farrelly brothers be working together again?
(L to R) Director and producer Bobby Farrelly and screenwriter and producer Peter Farrelly talk ‘Dear Santa’.
There’s no word yet on future collaborations. The brothers worked on the aforementioned ‘Dear Santa,’ which landed last month on Paramount+.
The movie, which saw a boy (played by Robert Timothy Smith) writing a letter to Santa –– but mistakenly addressing it to Satan (Jack Black) –– hasn’t exactly lit the world on fire, especially since it went straight to streaming.
Peter and Bobby have long been attached to produce an adaptation of the ‘Walter the Farting Dog’ children’s’ book series, but that one is seemingly stuck in development.
As for Peter’s solo projects, he made the Oscar-winning ‘Green Book’ and then ‘The Greatest Beer Run Ever.’ More recently, he co-wrote and directed comedy ‘Ricky Stanicky’ starring John Cena.
He’s also shot ‘Balls Up,’ a comedy about two fired executives whose drunken antics at a soccer game turn them into wanted fugitives. That film stars Mark Wahlberg and Paul Walter Hauser and should be on screens next year.
In addition to that, Farrelly is preparing to work on ‘I Play Rocky,’ which will chronicle Sylvester Stallone’s efforts to make and star in the titular boxing classic.
And that’s just the tip of the iceberg for the writer/director/producer, who is attached to produce new heist TV series called ‘Blue Tags.’
When will ‘Driver’s Ed’ be on screens?
Though AGC is providing the financing and looking to shoot in 2025, ‘Driver’s Ed’ has yet to lock in a studio or streaming home, so there’s no word on a release date yet.
Peter Farrelly accepts the Oscar® for original screenplay during the live ABC Telecast of The 91st Oscars® at the Dolby® Theatre in Hollywood, CA on Sunday, February 24, 2019. Credit/Provider: Aaron Poole / ©A.M.P.A.S. Copyright: ©A.M.P.A.S.