The last time Robert De Niro took on the world of funny it was in Martin Scorsese‘s warped classic The King Of Comedy. Now he has The Comedian lined up, though it’s been without a director since May.
Brit Mike Newell departed after failing to get his dates to line up. However, veteran helmer Taylor Hackford has stepped in to get the actor spouting his killer lines behind the mike.
Hackford should be a decent choice for the project – he worked with De Niro’s pal Al Pacino on The Devil’s Advocate, creating another larger than life persona. The Comedian focuses on a politically incorrect gagmeister. Co-producer Art Linson wrote the script, with Jeffrey Ross supplying the jokes.
Production is scheduled to commence in New York in early 2016, for a movie that should see the star returning to the sort of distinctive, character-based material in which he made his name.
