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Exclusive: Todd Phillips' Secret Comedy Project X is Revealed

by Ethan Anderton
April 20, 2010

Last week we reported on a super secret low budget comedy coming from Todd Phillips (director of The Hangover) and Joel Silver (big time producer of films like Sherlock Holmes) which was being referred to only as Project X, with its real title and high concept story being kept under wraps. The only information known was this would be commercial director Nima Nourizadeh's feature directorial debut and producers were interested in casting nothing but completely unknown actors in the flick. Now we have details from a very reliable industry source which reveal just what Project X will really be, and it sounds quite interesting.

At the time of our initial report, I jested about the secrecy surrounding this being similar to the shrouded development of Cloverfield, but it turns out that reference may be more accurate than we initially thought. The film is described as a party movie, but unlike films like Can't Hardly Wait and other such one-night-of-chaos films before it, this will be shot in cinema-vérité style, where the audience will experience the party only through the first-person observer view of the camera, so essentially, we will be at the party too. Much like the Hud character in Cloverfield, the role of the observer through which we experience the party will be voice-over only. And to seal the deal on this party-going experience, the entire film will be presented in 3D (update: Phillips has confirmed that it won't be in 3D at all, which actually makes a lot more sense).

The project is high concept in using cinema-vérité simply for a raunchy comedy, but the core of the "story" isn't anything more than a standard party movie. We've been told there is a script as well, so it won't be all mumblecore style improv. What should make it more realistic, intimate and genuine is their desire to use only unknown actors for the film combined with this shooting style. And if you're looking for more than a 3-D cinema-vérité style to join the party, then you can head over to the Project X open casting call website and follow the directions to submit yourself as long as you're 18 years old, you look 18 years old, and are a US resident. In the meantime, we'll keep you updated on anything we hear about this "secret" Project X.

Update: After this news hit, Collider got in touch with Todd Phillips himself to find out how much of this was true or not. Apparently most of it is true, but Phillips denies the 3D and says that the voice over aspect "is absolutely not true." So it sounds like it will still at least be the point-of-view experience, but without any 3D or voice over. He also says that the term "party movie" is very vague and that they're just hoping to make a film that is "a new and interesting approach" to storytelling in the comedy genre. This sounds like it could be pretty cool, I'm excited to hear more about it. We'll keep you updated on anything related to Project X.

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