Chris Morris Planning 'Comedy Version Of United 93'

Chris Morris is planning a film that he has reportedly described as 'a comedy version of United 93'. He's also got a second series of Nathan Barley on the cards, this time with a different line-up of supporting characters. Hopefully it won't be as narrowband and dull as the first series... But we'll never forget Brass Eye. Nothing can take the shine off of that one.

The casting sheet for 'the terrorism project' has been doing the rounds, and today popped up in my e-mail. Here's what they're looking for - maybe you fit the part and would like to challenge the accepted wisdom on all things nine-eleven and seven-seven.

CLOSING DATE: Sunday, 20 May 2007, 23:59

Chris Morris project (Film) a TV film about a bunch of pakastani lads living in britain now, its about what they do - for work, for play, what they believe, how the relate to their parents, families,the culture around them, their sense of heritage.

It's being writen and directed by Chris Morris for channel 4 through PBJ.

Producer: Derrin Schlesinger
Director: Chris Morris
Casting Director: Des Hamilton
Location: London and poss. north of England

Dates (Shooting, Rehearsal, etc.): Summer 07

Casting Details - please send CVs and photographs to:

Des Hamilton,
104c camden St.
NW1 0HY

Role: Ahmed (Male)
Description: British/Pakastani, 30, bright, intense, knowlegeable, not good with people, attended islamic law school in damascus for a year.

Role: Omar (Male)
Description: British/Pakastani, 29, Ahmed's brother, more streetwise though not a gangster, persuasive, capable of empathy, smart around people, all overlayed on a low self esteem.

Role: Waj (Male)
Description: British/Pakastani, 20, less bright but not totally dim, loyal follower of Omar, big guy, strong, works out, fearless.

Role: Hass (Male)
Description: British/Pakastani, 21, bright, more middle class, poss. public school, moralistic, funny, studying IT after doing good at school.

Role: Azzam (Male)
Description: British/Pakastani, 22, college mate of Hass, bright, articulate, provocative, loves the spotlight, loves winding people up, sort of guy who'd protest against cartoons in a bomb belt, mouthy.

Role: Crow Uncle (Male)
Description: British/Pakastani, 38, fairly bright, mad, brooding, watches a lot of tv between odd jobs (nightwatchman etc), seems more of a hick than the others.

Role: Crow Uncle's Nephew (Male)
Description: British/Pakastani, 17, insanely intense... bright, very, very focused, blind to anything he's not focused on, small seething boffin.

Morris used to be the most important man in British TV. Perhaps he still is, and we just didn't realise. This project should let us know for sure.

[EDIT: There already is a comedy version of United 93. Check out the trailer...]

Richard Ayoade Repeating Himself In The USA

The NBC are remaking Graham Linehan's The IT Crowd - as you probably knew. I mean, the UK-to-US sitcom remake path is well trodden but rarely yields exciting results. Now, though, a glimmer of interest as it has been revealed that Richard Ayoade is to reprise his role as the wonderfully overcoiffed Moss, whereas Chris O'Dowd and Katherine Parkinson have been ditched in favour of Joel McHale, sometime host of The Soup, and Jessica St. Clair who can be seen in For Your Consideration.

Oddly, St. Clair appeared in a TV show called Smoking Gun and McHale was in Kuntz and Maguire's ill-fated Onion Movie - not entirely dissimilar projects. Factor in Aoyade's turns in Time Trumpet and you've pretty much got a hat trick.

Ayoade is really quite superb - he was easily the best thing about Nathan Barley - and I'm pleased to see him get this profile boost, though I expect he'll be lambasted for taking the opportunity and get chalked up as a sell-out. Good luck to him, though. I dare say he'll be directing episodes of the US series before long, and soon after that find himself in charge of a feature film. A Garth Marenghi movie, anyone?

In the UK IT Crowd, Chris Morris appeared as Denholm, the very, very odd boss character. I'm almost certain that somebody has thought of Conan O'Brien for this role in the remake - his guest spot in Andy Richter Controls the Universe guarantees he'd nail it. Here's hoping.