Comedian Mike Birbiglia made his directorial debut with the swell 2012 feature Sleepwalk with Me, and now he’s just begun production on his follow-up film. Per Variety, Birbiglia is currently filming the comedy Don’t Think Twice in New York City with a cast that includes Keegan-Michael Key, Gillian Jacobs, Kate Micucci, Tami Sagher, and Chris Gethard. Birbiglia wrote the script and will also appear in the film, which revolves around an improv group that simultaneously loses the lease on their home theater and is faced with one of their cast members being chosen for the biggest sketch comedy show on TV. Bitterness and backstabbing amongst friends soon follows.
This is a terrific premise for a comedy, and one that seems finely suited to Birbiglia’s strengths as a comedian and filmmaker. Moreover, nabbing Key and Jacobs to lead the ensemble is a major plus, so it looks as though all the pieces are in place for a sufficient follow-up to the funny and sweet Sleepwalk with Me.
In the time since Birbiglia’s debut feature scored big with Sundance, the comedian has been nabbing more high-profile roles in front of the camera with appearances on shows like Girls and Orange Is the New Black and memorable turns in films like The Fault in Our Stars and this summer’s Trainwreck. He’s got wonderful comedic sensibilities, and I’m really looking forward to seeing the world of improv comedy through Birbiglia’s eyes.
Don’t Think Twice is being financed by Cold Iron Pictures and the Film Arcade, with Birbiglia also produced alongside Cold Iron Pictures’ Miranda Bailey and Amanda Marshall. Too much to hope for a Sundance 2016 debut?
