James Cullen Bressack (“Fortress”) is adapting the play “Murder, Anyone?” into a feature film, Variety can exclusively reveal.
“Muder, Anyone?” was originally written by Bressack’s father, Emmy Award-winning “Pinky and the Brain” writer Gordon Bressack. The play first premiered at the White Fire Theatre in Los Angeles in 2017.
Gordon Bressack, who worked on dozens of beloved animated shows including “Animaniacs” and “Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles,” died in 2019.
Now his son will direct and produce a feature film adaptation, in part to “bring attention to his work,” Bressack tells Variety.
Spencer Breslin (“The Happening”) and Kristos Andrews (“The Bay”) are set to star in the film, a faithful adaptation of Bressack Sr.’s show about two playwrights tasked with creating a new “avant-garde, surrealistic, mind-bending neo-noire thriller” who find their story coming to life as they write.
Breslin and Andrews are joined by Galadriel Stineman (“The Is Us”), Maurice Lamarche (“Animaniacs”), Charles M. Howell (“Pinky and the Brain”), Carla Collins (“Bitch Slap”), Oscar nominee Sally Kirkland (“Anna”), Lisa Wilcox (“A Place Called Hollywood”) and Tyler Christopher (“Days of Our Lives”).
Collins reprises her role of Marie from the stage version while Howell, Gordon Bressack’s long-time writing partner, will play a character based on himself.
“It was truly an honor to be able to bring my father’s words to life,” James Cullen Bressack said. “I made a promise to him before he passed away that I would try to make his scripts [into films]. It’s amazing to be able to have helped his words live on. It was truly special. He was the funniest most talented writer I know.”
Bressack Jr. is best known for directing “Fortress,” starring Bruce Willis, Jesse Metcalfe and Chad Michael Murray. He is represented by John Schneider at J. Schneider Management and Scott Yoselow and David Gersh at Gersh Agency.
Source: Read Full Article