‘A Futile And Stupid Gesture’ Trailer: Will Forte Creates National Lampoon In Netflix Comedy

Things get absurdly comedic in the new trailer for Netflix’s A Futile and Stupid Gesture starring Will Forte. Directed by Wet Hot American Summer‘s David Wain, the movie is based on the story of Doug Kenney (Forte) who, along with Henry Beard (played by an unrecognizable Domnhall Gleeson), co-created the counter-culture comedy magazine National Lampoon.

The trailer is full of absurd high jinx, ’70s-era wigs, cocaine-infused craziness and gives us a first look at the founding of the magazine which spawned iconic comedies Animal House and Caddyshack as well as TV’s Saturday Night Live. The movie includes a roster of actors playing prominent comedy figures: Joel McHale as Chevy Chase, Seth Green playing Christopher Guest, and Thomas Lennon as Michael O’Donoghue who became SNL’s first head writer. The movie also stars Martin Mull playing an older version of Kenney as well as Emmy Rossum, Jackie Tohn, Matt Walsh, Rick Glassman and Jon Daly.

Based on the book A Futile and Stupid Gesture: How Doug Kenney and National Lampoon Changed Comedy Forever by Josh Karp, the movie was adapted by Michael Colton and John Aboud and focuses on the troubled life and career of Kenney and how National Lampoon influenced the comedy scene in America in the ’70s and ’80s. Peter Principato and Jonathan Stern serve as producers.

[youtube=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=33dztfqRu_k&w=605&h=340]

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