Trevor Lawrence (Courtesy of Wayne Lawrence for Variety)
Trevor Noah is staying in the Viacom family for his next creative endeavor, an untitled feature film with Paramount Animation, Variety has learned exclusively.
The untitled project is based on an original idea from Noah. The plot is under wraps but is said to be timely, poignant and comedic. Jonathan Groff (“Black-ish”) and Jon Pollack (“Modern Family”) are set to write the script. Noah will produce via his Day Zero Productions, with his president of production Haroon Saleem.
Norman Aladjem, Derek Van Pelt and Sanaz Yamin will also serve as producers via Mainstay Entertainment.
Noah, who began in stand-up, rose to fame as the host of “The Daily Show” on Comedy Central. The comedy-news hybrid has found new resonance amid the pandemic and social unrest of 2020.
He is repped by CAA, Mainstay Entertainment, Day Zero Productions, Jill Fritzo PR and Hansen, Jacobson, Teller, Hoberman, Newman, Warren, Richman, Rush, Kaller, & Gellman L.L.P.
Paramount Animation is run by Mireille Soria, who reinvigorated the label in 2017 with a renewed mission to develop and produce top-quality animated and hybrid-animation titles. Building on Paramount’s 100-year history, the division has produced: “The SpongeBob Movie: Sponge on the Run,” which will be available on VOD and CBS All Access streaming services in early 2021; “Rumble,” scheduled for theatrical release in February 2022; “Under the Boardwalk,” to be released in 2022; and “The Tiger’s Apprentice” to be released in 2023.
Noah’s Day Zero is partner with ViacomCBS, with a goal to develop, produce and acquire diverse content for domestic and international audiences on multiple platforms. Their development slate includes the feature adaptation of Noah’s best-selling and award-winning autobiography “Born A Crime,” with Lupita Nyong’o starring and Liesl Tommy directing. There’s also an untitled film project centered on 8-year-old chess champion Tanitoluwa Adewumi, both set up at Paramount Pictures.
Additionally, DZP produced Nickelodeon’s 2020 “Kid of the Year” TV special alongside Time Studios.
Variety's Matt Donnelly contributed to this post.
https://variety.com/2021/film/news/trevor-noah-movie-paramount-animation-day-zero-1234893942/
