Steve Coogan and David Mitchell are making a new film with Michael Winterbottom
The 'I'm Alan Partridge' and 'Peep Show' stars are teaming up with the director of 'The Trip'
Steve Coogan, David Mitchell and writer-director Michael Winterbottom are working on a new film together, an as-yet untitled satire about the absurdly wealthy.
According to Deadline: “The story is a satirical take on the world of the super-rich with Alan Partridge and Philomena star Coogan set to play a ruthless, perma-tanned and self-absorbed retail clothing billionaire.” Mitchell will play a journalist who Coogan’s character enlists to write his life story.
Coogan and Winterbottom have worked together loads of times – as well as three series of The Trip, Winterbottom made 24 Hour Party People, A Cock & Bull Story and The Look Of Love, and there is supposedly a fourth series of The Trip in the pipeline.
Coogan as Tony Wilson in the 2002 film 24 Hour Party People
This project was initially slated to star Sacha Baron-Cohen, under the title Greed, but times and plans have changed. It’s thought the film will among other things highlight the disparity between the lives of those at the top and bottom of organisations, juxtaposing the life of Coogan’s billionaire with those of his lowest-level employees. Winterbottom has explored such territory before – his 2015 documentaryThe Emperor’s New Clothes, starring Russell Brand, examined the gaping financial inequality between highly rewarded bankers and austerity-crippled families.
No release ate is yet set, but there’s plenty of Coogan a-coming in the interim. Alan Partridge returns to screens in the winter in a six-part series that sees Norfolk’s favourite son fronting a One Show-esque programme, and Stan and Ollie, in which Coogan plays Stan Laurel to John C. Reilly’s Oliver Hardy, has just been picked up for a wide release.
David Mitchell, meanwhile, can currently be seen on Upstart Crow and everything ever shown on Dave.
(Images: Getty/AllStar)
