Alexander Payne to Direct 'The Menu,' Adam McKay and Will Ferrell to Produce
Alexander Payne has ordered up his next project: The filmmaker will direct "The Menu."
Variety reports that the feature -- described as a "comedic horror-thriller" -- is being put together by Gary Sanchez Productions, the shingle from Adam McKay, Will Ferrell, and Betsy Koch. Writers Will Tracy ("Last Week Tonight With John Oliver") and Seth Reiss ("Late Night With Seth Meyers") penned the screenplay.
Here's the plot of the flick, per Variety:
The pic is set in the world of high-end culinary culture. The story centers on a young couple who visits an exclusive destination restaurant on a remote island where the acclaimed chef has prepared a lavish tasting menu, along with some shocking surprises.
A remote island setting, an exclusive venue, an acclaimed chef, and some shocking surprises -- almost sounds like a Fyre Festival redux, doesn't it?
Payne has written and directed an eclectic mix of features throughout his career, including acclaimed films like "Election," "Nebraska," "Sideways," and "The Descendants" (the latter two earned him the Best Adapted Screenplay statuette at the Oscars). His latest feature, 2017's "Downsizing," was a bit polarizing, though it did net some awards season love for supporting actress Hong Chau.
Gary Sanchez has been on a roll lately, with its most recent flick, "Vice," netting numerous Academy Award nominations, including Best Picture, Best Director (McKay), and Best Actor (Christian Bale). We'll see if the Oscars eventually take a bite out of "The Menu," too.
[via: Variety]