Ansari Sells Three Films to Judd Apatow

By our guest blogger, Matt Jussim

Aziz Ansari and Jason Woliner, who previously worked together on sketch comedy series "Human Giant", have sold three comedy pitches to Judd Apatow and Universal Pictures reports Variety.

According to Variety: The first pitch is "Let's Do This," a road movie about two guys who work for a motivational speaking company. Next is an untitled project about a disgraced astronaut (Ansari), who is forced to return to outer space to clear his name. The last project is also untitled and somehow ties in with Ansari's supporting role in Apatow's "Funny People."

Said Ansari: “We didn’t expect all three to work. We had a breakfast meeting with Judd and pitched them. We were like, ‘Which one do you like?’ He wanted all three.”

Ansari and Woliner will write at least one of the projects together with Woliner attached to direct and Ansari to appear in all three. Ansari will be seen next year in director Nick Stoller’s “Get Him to the Greek,” which is a sort of spin off from “Forgetting Sarah Marshall,” that Apatow is producing for Universal.

I’m always pretty excited for any project that has Judd Apatow’s name attached, and all three sound like they could be some quality comedy films. Ansari used to perform at Upright Citizen's Brigade Theatre in New York City and also had a role in “I Love You, Man” as well as “Observe and Report,” with Seth Rogen. Ansari has also been great in the second season of “Parks and Recreation,” and he was absolutely hilarious while on the sketch show “Human Giant.”

More exposure is just what he needs to possibly move up to the higher echelon of the comedy industry. The fact that he has a relationship with Apatow can only be a positive for his career and his upcoming projects.