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In terms of music and club culture, 1984 was a great time to be young. But what if you were too young? Jeff Roda's big screen début follows a group of 13 and 14-year-olds who really want to get into a nightclub and join the party. One of the bouncers - who may or may not be reliable - has agreed to sneak them in, but not until late, when the place is crowded and nobody will notice. In the meantime, they have to stay out of the way, so they hang out round the back, sitting on walls or kicking at the dirt, exchanging school gossip, bitching and flirting and discussing the big issues in life almost without noticing.

Early on, Roda makes no overt moves to centre any one character. Kids come and go and those with stronger personalities gradually make themselves known. Shel (Tanner Flood) has a classic.

"The Breakfast Club meets Waiting for Godot..." Now that's a funky pitch. But sounds good, kind of? Check out the official trailer for an indie comedy titled 18 to Party, the feature directorial debut of filmmaker Jeff Roda. This originally premiered at the Big Apple Film Festival last year, and also played at the Florida Film Festival this year. It's set in 1984 and takes place outside a small-town nightclub, where a group of 8th graders gather, grappling with a spate of recent suicides, UFO sightings, their absentee parents, and each other. Described by the festival as "a spot-on love letter to Gen X, awkward teenagers, and the transcendent power of friendship." The film stars Alivia Clark, Tanner Flood, Oliver GIfford, James Freedson-Jackson, Nolan Lyons, Sam McCarthy, Ivy Miller, Taylor Richardson, and Erich Schuett. It looks like classical indie filmmaking in a good way - no-budget project with a clever script about a time long gone.

The Sundance Film Festival has gone through many changes in its 35 years, evolving from Robert Redford’s experimental incubator for independent filmmaking to the most influential festival event in the country. The 2019 edition is no exception: With Kim Yutani taking over as director of programming following the departure of longtime programming head Trevor Groth, much of the independent film community expects a lineup that reflects the shift in vision. Of course, Yutani still reports to Sundance veteran John Cooper, the festival’s director, and some Sundance movies will always be safe bets.

IndieWire’s annual Sundance wish list reflects much of the intel making the rounds, as well as some educated guesswork, based on various projects that have been submitted or seem likely to submit ahead of the festival’s deadlines. Last year’s hefty wish list included many films that make the cut, so take this overview seriously — but...

Exclusive: Imperative Entertainment has hired Jeff Roda to adapt the book The Guide: Managing Douchebags, Recruiting Wingmen and Attracting Who You Want with Sean Anders attached to direct and John Morris producing. Anders and Morris are huddling now on Daddy's Home 2, the sequel to their 2015 box office hit comedy Daddy’s Home (which Anders directed and wrote with Morris). Daddy's Home grossed a big $240.3M worldwide. The book on which the new film is based was written…...

Exclusive: HBO has is developing the half-hour dramedy When I’m Sixty-Four from creator Jeff Roda through Howie Deutch's deal at the network. Black List scribe Roda will executive produce with Howie, who also is attached to direct the pilot. The story centers on Paul Beaumont, a narcissistic New Yorker who's given an unexpected reprieve from terminal cancer and now faces an existential reckoning with himself as well as the family, friends and career wreckage he had hoped…...

The "unauthorized" story behind all your favorite Nineties television shows will soon be fodder for Lifetime films as the network has announced plans to bring a TV movie about Beverly Hills 90210 to the small screen. Lifetime's latest dip in schlocky, nostalgic-soaked programming comes on the heels of their 2014 hit The Unauthorized Saved By the Bell Story and the upcoming movie about the making of Full House.

According to The Hollywood Reporter, Lifetime said their 90210 biopic, currently titled The Unauthorized Beverly Hills 90210 Story, "will show the roller coaster ride of the program’s first four seasons,...

Lifetime has green-lit an unauthorized 90210 tell-all film, The Hollywood Reporter writes. The movie will be in the same vein as the network's 2014 Unauthorized Saved by the Bell Story and forthcoming Full House project. Jeff Roda (Love Liza) is writing for helmer Vanessa Parise (PopFan), and will pen a script that promises to reveal the stress behind the series' up-and-down first four seasons, the reason it became a pop-culture powerhouse, and the drama that shook the show's personnel. (Yep, get ready for some juice from the real Peach Pit, because nothing is sacred.) The news comes a few months before 90210's 25th anniversary; the TV-movie's air date has not been confirmed, though.

If Saved by the Bell got one and Full House is getting one, then it follows that fellow '90s TV series Beverly Hills, 90210 would get one, too.

Soon, Lifetime will be titillating viewers with all the juicy, behind-the-scenes drama that played out on the set of the Aaron Spelling-produced Fox teen drama, which first starting airing in October 1990 – nearly 25 years ago – According to The Wrap reports.

The original series made stars of Jason Priestley and Shannen Doherty, who played new-to-town siblings Brandon and Brenda Walsh, as well as Jennie Garth, Ian Ziering, Luke Perry, Tori Spelling and more.

Break out the scrunchies and the quilted vests — Lifetime has chosen Beverly Hills, 90210 as the latest classic TV show to spawn a behind-the-scenes, tell-all movie, TVLine has confirmed.

RelatedA Deadly Adoption Trailer: Will Ferrell Faces Crazy Surrogate, Endless Tropes

The Unauthorized Beverly Hills, 90210 Story will “show the roller coaster ride of the program’s first four seasons, highlighting the drama between cast members and producers both on and off-set,” according to the network — and will chart its several near-cancellations and eventual “massive success and imprint in the cultural zeitgeist.”

Beverly Hills, 90210 premiered on Fox in 1990, and launched cast members Shannen Doherty,...

Another day, another beloved show from the 1990s getting a fun TV movie! First it was Saved By the Bell, then it was Full House, and now it's Beverly Hills, 90210's turn for the Unauthorized treatment. That's right, E! News has learned Lifetime is making The Unauthorized Beverly Hills, 90210 Story, which will tell the salacious behind-the-scenes tales from the primetime soap that launched the careers of Luke Perry, Tori Spelling and Jennie Garth. Are there stories left to tell that the public doesn't already know? Howard Braunstein and Peter Green are executive producing the movie with Christian Bruyere as producer and Vanessa Parise attached to direct a script from Jeff Roda. The original...

In honor of Philip Seymour Hoffman's final film, A Most Wanted Man, hitting theaters today, we are reprinting David Browne's cover story on the actor's final days from our February 27th issue.

Slouched in the front row of the labyrinth Theater Company's performance space in New York's West Village last May, Philip Seymour Hoffman was his typical focused, superdisciplined self. In the intimate 90-seat theater, Hoffman – always dressed in one or another of his seemingly interchangeable baggy pants and sweaters – was relentlessly pushing the cast and crew of the play he was directing,...

Josh Schwartz and Stephanie Savage, the duo behind Fake Empire, is taking their teen TV strategy and applying it to the movies. The company that makes the TV shows "Gossip Girl" and "Hart of Dixie" just optioned a new teen novel to make into a film, the latest in a string of projects in development.

From What I Remember is about a bunch of high school students who get stranded in Mexico and try and make it back home in time for graduation. The Hyperion title will be adapted by Jeff Roda (he wrote the upcoming "Glee" type movie Pitch Perfect).

Fake Empire's first movie is the Victoria Justice-starrer Fun Size, opening in October. They're also working on the movies The Diviners; The Luxe; The Likeness; Let it Snow and Au Revoir, Crazy European Chick. On the TV side, they have two more series for fall: "The Carrie Diaries" and "Cult.

Funny dude Zach Braff will follow up to his 2004 indie film Garden State with a comedy called “Swingles.”

The “Scrubs” star is currently in negotiations with Paramount Pictures to write, direct, and co-star in the film, which already has Cameron Diaz on board. Swingles is still searching for a male lead, as Braff will only play a supporting character.

The story is about “a bachelor who is dumped by his wingman and teams up with a sharp-tongued woman he can’t stand in order to meet singles.” It is based off a Duncan Birmingham spec and a draft written by Jeff Roda.

Public Enemies producer Kevin Misher will be supporting the project.

With a zippy title like “Swingles” and the inclusion of Cameron Diaz, it doesn’t seem like this Braff’s film will echo the adolescent melodramatic garbage that made Garden State so distasteful. Braff’s past forays into...

Zach Braff is in negotiations to direct, rewrite and co-star in the comedy "Swingles" for Paramount Pictures. According to Variety, Braff will be playing a supporting role. The male lead has not been cast yet.Cameron Diaz has signed on as the female lead.The story is based on a Duncan Birmingham spec script and focuses on a bachelor who is dumped by his wingman buddy. He then teams up with an acid-tongued woman he can't stand in order to meet single women. Jeff Roda wrote a draft of the screenplay as well.Kevin Misher, whose credits include Michael Mann.s upcoming "Public Enemies," is producing.This will be Braff's second feature directing effort; he also directed "Garden State" back in 2004.

Alright, let's get serious for a second here... what is going on with Zach Braff's career? A few years ago he seemed poised to make a quick and effortless transition from TV to film after his directorial debut Garden State was a relatively big indie hit. Although it's become somewhat fashionable to criticize Garden State since then, I still think it's a great movie (albeit a little too self-aware). Since then, Braff has only starred in the mediocre romantic comedies The Last Kiss and The Ex. When I heard that he was supposed to be leaving Scrubs after this season, I couldn't help but wonder if he finally had something better lined up. As it turns out, he's still not completely done with Scrubs (he will still be appearing in 6 more episodes next season), but it looks like he is finally going to get a chance to direct another movie.

Zack Braff has absolute power in the land of the “Swingles.” According to Variety, Braff will direct the romantic comedy, which will be his first feature since 2004’s “Garden State.” The project already boasts leading lady Cameron Diaz, but Braff isn’t content with merely directing her. He will also be co-starring and rewriting the film.

“Swingles” centers on a bachelor who is dumped by his wingman. Having studied his “Top Gun,” the bachelor knows that he can’t fly solo, and he decides that his next pickup companion will be a wingwoman. Sounds like a plan, right? Not so fast. The new winglady is a “sharp-tongued” sort, and our bachelor can’t stand her. Of course we all know where this is probably going: loathing turns into love and things wrap up with a little “happily ever after.” Hey, that’s how “Top Gun” ends things between Iceman and Maverick,...

Zach Braff ("Scrubs," Garden State ) is in negotiations to direct, rewrite and co-star in the comedy Swingles for Paramount Pictures, reports Variety . Cameron Diaz has already signed on to star. The story, which is based on a Duncan Birmingham spec script, centers on a bachelor who is dumped by his wingman and teams up with a sharp-tongued woman he can't stand in order to meet singles. Jeff Roda wrote a draft as well.

Scrubs star Zach Braff is in talks to direct and star in Cameron Diaz romantic comedy Swingles. The project centres on a man and a woman whose respective best friends fall in love, forcing them to reluctantly team up and hit the dating scene together. Braff will also rework the script by Duncan Birmingham and Jeff Roda. The Paramount movie (more)...

Zach Braff's been absent from our movie screens for a while now, concentrating on Scrubs instead. But now that he's finishing his turn on that hospital comedy he's headed back to Hollywood, signing on to direct, re-write and star in the comedy Swingles, with Cameron Diaz.The film centres on a single guy (Braff) who is dumped by his wingman and instead teams up with a sharp-tongued woman (Diaz) in order to meet women. The two don't get along - but we're guessing by the end of the film they've found a connection.We'd like to think that the results will, like the title, be a cross between Singles and Swingers, but we're slightly concerned that it might mean that Braff and Diaz end up going to rather icky swingers clubs, so fingers crossed we're wrong about that.The script was originally written by Duncan Birmingham and re-written by Jeff Roda.

Zach Braff is in negotiations to direct, rewrite and co-star in the comedy Swingles for Paramount Pictures. The project, which Cameron Diaz is attached to star in, would mark Braff’s first feature directing effort since the 2004 indie hit Garden State. The story centers on a bachelor who is dumped by his wingman and teams up with a sharp-tongued woman he can't stand in order to meet singles. Duncan Birmingham penned the original spec script, which Paramount acquired in 2006. Jeff Roda wrote a draft as well. Kevin Misher, whose credits include The Scorpion King, The Rundown, The Interpreter, Fighting and the upcoming Michael Mann-directed Public Enemies, is producing. Diaz, who most recently starred in What Happens in Vegas, will next be seen in the Nick Cassavetes drama My Sister’s Keeper and the Richard Kelly-helmed horror thriller The Box. Braff recently signed a deal to return for a ninth season of Scrubs.

After taking on a chunk of upcoming portmanteau pic New York, I Love You, Zach Braff has decided to return to full-on film directing with Swingles. And he’s not just at the helm – he’s going to co-star with Cameron Diaz and re-write the script to boot. That sound you hear is original writers Duncan Birmingham and Jeff Roda shaking their fists to the sky and screaming, “Braaaaaaaaff!” With Diaz in the starring role, the plot will focus on a bachelor (Braff, we assume) who is dumped by his wingman...

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Cameron Diaz is in talks to star in the forthcoming Paramount romantic comedy 'Swingles.' According to The Hollywood Reporter 'Swingles' follows a man and woman whose best friends fall in love. This leaves the pair without anyone to go out looking for live with. The pair decide to put their differences aside and help each other find love. The story was written by Duncan Birmingham and Jeff Roda. Diaz will return next year as the voice of Princess Fiona in Shrek Goes Fourth.

Cameron Diaz is in final talks to star in Paramount Pictures' romantic comedy "Swingles." Duncan Birmingham and Jeff Roda penned the screenplay that tells of a bachelor who loses his partner in crime and decides to team up with a sharp-tongued woman whom he just can't stand in an effort to meet single women. Kevin Misher ("The Interpreter") is producing.   Diaze can be seen next in Richard Kelly's "The Box" sci-fi horror with James Marsden, Frank Langella, Michael Zegen, Gillian Jacobs, Celia Weston and James Rebhorn.  ...

Cameron Diaz is in talks to star in another rom-com feature from Paramount Pictures titled "Swingles."

Cameron, who last starred in "What Happens in Vegas" with Ashton Kutcher, is in final negotiations for the film.

Written by Duncan Birmingham and Jeff Roda, the story features a bachelor who gets dumped by his own wingman. He recruits a sharp-tongued man-hater (Diaz) that he can't stand to meet singles.

No word on the director yet. Casting search in underway for the male lead.

Cameron Diaz is always in orbit of some sort of romantic comedy. Paramount Pictures hopes she will star in Swingles.

Cameron Diaz for Swingles

Written by Duncan Birmingham and Jeff Roda, Swingles centers on a bachelor who is dumped by his wingman and teams up with a sharp-tongued woman he can't stand in order to meet singles.

As far as one can tell, no director has been picked up just yet.

Diaz can next be seen trying out the horror genre with Richard Kelly's The Box.

Cameron Diaz is in final talks to star in Paramount Pictures' romantic comedy "Swingles." Duncan Birmingham and Jeff Roda penned the screenplay that tells of a bachelor who loses his partner in crime and decides to team up with a sharp-tongued woman whom he just can't stand in an effort to meet single women. Kevin Misher ("The Interpreter") is producing....

Cameron Diaz is in final talks to star in Paramount Pictures' romantic comedy "Swingles." Duncan Birmingham and Jeff Roda penned the screenplay that tells of a bachelor who loses his partner in crime and decides to team up with a sharp-tongued woman whom he just can't stand in an effort to meet single women. Kevin Misher ("The Interpreter") is producing....

Cameron Diaz enjoyed her biggest hit in a while with last year’s What Happens In Vegas – so it’s no surprise to find that she’s in final negotiations to return to the rom-com well with Swingles.In fact, the premise makes it sound like it’s cut from the same mean-spirited, trashy cloth as that Ashton Kutcher team-up, with Diaz set to play a sharp-tongued woman who becomes the new wingman for a guy she can’t stand, after he’s dumped by his fiancée.Two guesses what happens in the end. No, not that, that’s not legal. Try again. Yep, you got it. Still, at least Diaz is always good value. Right?Duncan Birmingham and Jeff Roda wrote the screenplay, and we have to hope that it gets more innovative and amusing than the title, which simply combines ‘Swingers’ with ‘Singles’. Mind you, if the end...

Cameron Diaz is busy chucking ink at a deal to play the lead in Paramount’s romantic comedy Swingles. Written by Duncan Birmingham and Jeff Roda, the film features a bachelor who gets dumped by his own wingman. He recruits a sharp-tongued man-hater (Diaz) in his attempt to meet ladies. Yes, we’re back in high-concept comedy territory and you’ve got to bet that the bloke and his wing-woman might end up together. There’s no word on a director yet, but Paramount will no doubt be hoping that Diaz can provide... .

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Cameron Diaz is looking for a date.

She is in negotiations to topline "Swingles," a romantic comedy being produced by Kevin Misher for Paramount. The search for a suitable onscreen mate is ongoing.

"Swingles" focuses on a man and woman whose respective best friends meet and fall in love, leaving them without a wingman/woman for the first time in their adult lives. Despite their antagonism, the two remaining singles decide to join forces to help each other find romantic partners.

The comedy, with its 21st century "When Harry Met Sally ..." vibe, was written by Duncan Birmingham, with additional work by Jeff Roda. Ben Cosgrove is overseeing the project for the studio.

Misher has "Fighting" hitting theaters April 24 and the Michael Mann-directed "Public Enemies" releasing July 1.

Diaz most recently starred opposite Ashton Kutcher in the Fox comedy "What Happens in Vegas," which grossed $218 million worldwide. She has "Shrek Goes Fourth,...

A month ago Seth Gordon was just the guy who directed the scrappy, acclaimed documentary The King of Kong. Now he's apparently the new king of gimmicky romantic comedies. The Four Christmases director-- $90 million and counting, y'all-- has signed on to helm Mr. Romance, a pitch from a guy named Jeff Roda. As Variety describes it, it sounds like a high-concept romantic comedy along the lines of Run, Fat Boy, Run or the ending of pretty much every romantic comedy ever made. I'll just let the Variety article speak for itself: "The pic will be a comedy about a cynical guy who is forced to enter the Mr. Romance competition to win back the love of his life. The competition, which finds hunks whose photos grace the bodice-ripping covers of romance novels, is a real event." I can't figure out how entering this contest would help someone win back the...

New Regency has bought "Mr. Romance," a pitch for a comedy Seth Gordon will direct from a script by Jeff Roda.

Variety says the film follows a cynical man who is forced to participate in the Mr. Romance competition to win back the woman of his dreams.

Apparently, the competition is a real event, finding male models who end up appearing on the covers of romance novels.

Gordon most recently directed the holiday comedy "Four Christmases." His credits also include the acclaimed documentary "The King of Kong."...

It looks as if the box office success of Four Christmases has opened countless doors for The King of Kong filmmaker Seth Gordon. In addition to directing a feature version of his own King of Kong, Gordon is also set to direct The Only Living Boy in New York and Suicide Squad. Add to that list a project called Mr. Romance, based on the real life annual competition where attractive men compete to see who has the highest "romantic Iq." Jeff Roda, of the upcoming Siege of Fulton Avenue, will write the screenplay. The story is actually based on an article that Joshuah Bearman was commissioned to write for GQ magazine. The film's story will follow a cynical guy who is forced to enter the Mr. Romance competition to win back the love of his life. Doesn't sound too original to me. "Romance novels sell 50% of all books, and there...

Seth Gordon, director of the documentary The King of Kong and more recently the Vince Vaughn and Reese Witherspoon comedy Four Christmases, has signed to helm Mr. Romance, a comedy pitch that New Regency just acquired. Jeff Roda (The Siege of Fulton Avenue) will pen the script, which is based on a Joshuah Bearman article that was commissioned by GQ magazine. The flick revolves around a cynical guy who is forced to enter the Mr. Romance competition to win back the love of his life. The competition, which finds hunks whose photos grace the bodice-ripping covers of romance novels, is a real event. Gordon and Bearman met when Gordon was filming King of Kong, and Bearman, covering the subject matter for Harper’s magazine, became so involved he got a co-producer credit on the film. A start date for Mr. Romance hasn’t been set.

After all his Four Christmases came at once, with an $88 million gross and counting, director Seth Gordon has wasted no time in lining up new projects. First there was heist picture Suicide Squad, and now he’s signed on to direct Mr. Romance for New Regency.The film will be that rarest of rare beasts: a male-driven rom-com, about the real-life Mr. Romance event, which aims to find hunky guys to grace the covers of bodice-ripping romance novels. Mr. Romance, the film, will follow a cynical guy who enters the contest in order to win back the love of his life. Think Run, Fatboy, Run with more abs.Jeff Roda will write the script based on upon a GQ article written by Joshuah Bearman. Bearman was a co-producer on Gordon’s breakthrough documentary, King Of Kong, with which he got involved after writing an article on the movie for Harper’s.

The King of Kong and Four Christmases director Seth Gordon has signed on to direct a Mr. Romance for New Regancy. My All American scribe Jeff Roda is writing the comedy script based on a GQ Magazine article by Joshuah Bearman.

According to Variety, the film will follow “a cynical guy who is forced to enter the Mr. Romance competition to win back the love of his life.” Apparently the pitch is based on real “Mr. Romance competitions” where guys submit themselves to physical and psychological tests to determine their “romantic Iq” in order to find new models for romance novel covers.

Sounds like a segment of This American Life, but not a great film. I hope that Gordon does Suicide Squad next, expecially after hearing his description on The /Filmcast a few weeks back:

“Suicide Squad is basically like Bottle Rocket but set at the Kentucky Derby, where a...

George Tillman Jr. has signed on to direct DreamWorks' The Siege of Fulton Avenue, which is being produced by Contrafilm. State Street Pictures, Tillman and Robert Teitel's banner, also is producing.

The story is set on the eve of high school graduation, when seniors throw an epic house party. The party spins out of control, causing the police to be called. When the kids refuse to stop the party, the night becomes a defining moment for the teenagers inside as they struggle with their fears of growing up.

The script is based on a New York magazine article by David Amsden that is based on an actual event. Jeff Roda wrote the script.

David Beaubaire and Ashley Brucks at DreamWorks are overseeing.

Producing are Beau Flynn and Tripp Vinson of Contrafilm as well as State Street's Teitel.

Contrafilm is behind The Number 23, which opens Feb. 23.

CAA-repped Tillman most recently directed 2000's Men of Honor. State Street produced the successful Barbershop film series as well as its spinoff Beauty Shop. The company also produced Roll Bounce.

"South Park" creators Matt Stone and Trey Parker are working overtime. Per Variety, the pair will develop two live-action feature films for Paramount, beginning with the high school comedy My All-American written by Jeff Roda. The pair will follow up with the J.F. Lawton-scripted parody Giant Monsters Attack Japan!, which combines live-action with cheesy '50s era puppetry used in early Godzilla movies. Production is expected to begin next year after "South Park" completes its 10th season. Parker will direct each film, with Stone producing through their recently renamed production company Important Pictures; both men will work with the writers on the screenplays.