EXCLUSIVE: Eric Appel has been tapped to direct The Breadwinner for TriStar Pictures, starring comedian Nate Bargatze. TriStar preemptively acquired the comedy pitch written by Bargatze and Dan Lagana.
Bargatze, the world’s top touring comedian today, will make his feature film acting debut in the film and will also serve as a producer alongside Lagana. Jeremy Latcham will produce the film through Wonder Project.
Bargatze and Lagana are co-writing the script. Plot details for the comedy remain under wraps.
After working on several critically acclaimed hit TV series for almost two decades, Appel made a big splash in the feature world with Weird: The Al Yankovic Story. Appel co-wrote, directed and produced the Roku Channel pic which starred Daniel Radcliffe portraying the iconc singer-songwriter. The film premiered at the 2022 Toronto Film Festival and won the People’s Choice Midnight Madness Award, and later earned an Emmy Award for Outstanding TV Movie. Appel has been on rising star on the comedy fronts and TriStar saw him a perfect fit for one of the biggest stars on the stand up comedian scene making his acting debut.
Appel also directed the first two seasons of Die Hart starring Kevin Hart, for The Roku Channel, and recently helmed multiple episodes of the second season of The Afterparty (produced by Lord & Miller for Sony/Apple+). His extensive TV directing credits include episodes of hit series like Happy Endings, Silicon Valley, Brooklyn Nine-Nine, New Girl and The Office.
Appel is represented by CAA, Tucker Vorhees at Artists First, and Lev Ginsbur at Ginsburg Daniels Kallis.
