For anyone familiar with NPR and This American Life, Mike Birbiglia and his various tales in Sleepwalk with Me are nothing new. And now thanks to the great trailer released last month and a slew of fantastic video shorts from Birbiglia, TAL host Ira Glass, and Joss Whedon (yes, THAT Joss Whedon), the project is getting some great traction.
Let’s start with that trailer; the film is based on the Broadway (or was it Off-Broadway) show that is roughly based on his life:
Birbigs and Glass. Exactly the sort of decorum you’d expect from This American Life
This then inspired a grassroots appeal by Birbiglia and Glass (who is co-producing). Not only are they trying to get fans to request that their local theaters screen Sleepwalk with Me, but to entice then, Birbiglia and Glass promise to be at the screenings, doing EVERYTHING:
Too bad I won’t be in either NY or LA on those dates.
I would like Ira Glass to serve me popcorn.
Whedon aka Big Hollywood
Of course they woke the dragon in Joss Whedon, who when feeling that someone is threatening his box office domination with The Avengers, responds in kind by calling for a boycott. Don’t watch those little tiny movies that people really care about and work on for years! No, instead nurture corporate spectacle like good Americans. As Whedon urges, put a stop to the love:
Which of course threw down the gauntlet and it was on.
Birbiglia and Glass issued their response to Whedon, figuring out the math to see exactly how much each screening of Sleepwalk with Me will need to earn to beat The Avengers.
Needless to say, it’s a lofty, lofty goal.
Personally I can’t wait to see Sleepwalk with Me as many times as necessary to fulfill my quota and help the movie make $1,500,000,001 and kick the Hulk’s ass.
Thought for a new movie: The Hulk, Mike Birbiglia and Iron Man take on the guy from Car Talk… Hollywood, the ball is in your court.
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