STXfilms, a division of Robert Simonds’ STX Entertainment, has acquired Night Wolf as a pitch from Detective Pikachu screenwriters Dan Hernandez and Benji Samit and are developing the high concept comic twist on the superhero genre. Kevin Hart and his HartBeat Productions are also now attached to the project, it was announced today by Adam Fogelson, Chairman of STXfilms Motion Picture Group.
Hart starred in The Upside, the $100 million grossing hit which STX distributed earlier this year. The studio attached Hart to Night Wolf after hiring the writers. Hart will produce the comedy through his HartBeat Productions.
Night Wolf follows a Meet the Parents-esque encounter where a man (Hart) meets his future father-in-law for the first time only to discover he is secretly the superhero known as the Night Wolf.
Earlier this year, STX Entertainment announced it would partner with HartBeat Productions to produce two new comedy projects with an eye for Hart to star in both. Night Wolf marks the third project Hart is developing with the studio. STX previously announced Black Friday and an untitled romantic comedy. The HartBeat team will oversee production with STXfilms’ SVP of Production Drew Simon.
“After we acquired Night Wolf, we submitted it to Kevin Hart and the Team at HartBeat hoping they would love it as much as we did. It is a big, broad comedy and the idea is great fun and perfectly matched with Kevin’s comedic talent. We are thrilled to be working on what will now be our fourth film together,” said Chairman of STXfilms Adam Fogelson.
“I am excited to be working with our friends at STX again. They brought us a great project with Night Wolf. I instantly fell in love with this pitch about an everyday guy who is meeting his in-laws for the first time and unwittingly discovers his dad to be is secretly a superhero,” said Hart.
STXfilms’ upcoming slate include Hustlers (September 13), Countdown (October 25), Playmobil (December 6), Brahms: The Boy II (December 6), My Spy (Jan 10), and The Gentlemen (Jan 24) among others.
Kevin Hart has made a name for himself as one of the foremost comedians, entertainers, authors and businessmen in the industry today. 2019 has been a knockout year for the superstar. In addition to his success in STX and Lantern Entertainment’s The Upside, he received CinemaCon’s international Star of the Year Award in April, was a voice star in this summer’s The Secret Life of Pets 2, and will next star this December in Jumanji: The Next Level.
Hernandez and Samit are represented by Oly Obst at 3 Arts Entertainment and Karl Austen and Michael Auerbach at Jackoway Austen Tyerman Werthheimer Mandlebaum Morris Bernstein Trattner & Klein. Hart is represented by 3 Arts, UTA and Schreck Rose Dapello & Adams.
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