It's a tradition for the acting folk who got their big break on a Judd Apatow production to double as screenwriters going forward, notably Seth Rogen, Jason Segel, and John Francis Daley (his first produced feature screenplay Horrible Bosses opens July 8). Jay Baruchel is headed down the same path after a first taste with the recently wrapped hockey comedy Goon, which he co-wrote with Rogen and Evan Goldberg. Heat Vision reports actor is on board as a writer for two more projects with his writing partner Jesse Chabot. Baruchel and Chabot are signed to adapt the comic book Random Acts of Violence, "the blood-soaked story of two comic creators and their ultimate horror character Slasherman creation gone very wrong." Additionally, Baruchel and Chabot are in final negotiations with Summit to rewrite Exorcism Diaries, which centers on "a reporter searching for the truth behind the most famous exorcism in history." Hit the jump for more on each project.
Kickstart Comics' Random Acts of Violence (not to be confused with this potential Eminem vehicle) was created by Jimmy Palmiotti and the Justin Gray, the same minds behind the DC comic Jonah Hex. Here's the official synopsis:
The story focuses on comic book creators Ezra and Todd and their first major published work, a horror character called Slasherman. Success starts flowing like a river, but when that river turns bloody and people start dying in the midst of a signing tour, it becomes clear that Ezra and Todd's creation has taken on a life of its own. [Kickstart]
Exorcism Diaries is based on the Mark Opasnick book The Real Story Behind the Exorcist. Adam Simon and Tim Metcalfe (The Haunting in Connecticut) made the initial pitch to the studio. Heat Vision provides the outline:
"[The story] centers on a reporter searching for the truth behind the most famous exorcism in history, but soon discovers that the real-life story is not quite finished. As a result, she finds herself in harm’s way of the same supernatural entity that she is chasing."
After wrapping Goon, Baruchel is preparing to shoot Cosmopolis later this year with director David Cronenberg. Of course, Baruchel will reprise his role as the voice of Hiccup in How to Train Your Dragon 2, scheduled for release June 20, 2014.
