Netflix Serial Killer Comedy Scrapped After Adam McKay Leaves for Another Project

Adam McKay won’t move forward with “Average Height, Average Build,” a comedy about a serial killer that was set to star Robert Pattinson, Amy Adams and Robert Downey Jr. Netflix was supposed to produce the star-studded film, but the streamer won’t make the project without McKay’s involvement behind the camera, sources confirmed to Variety.

Instead, the writer and director will reportedly focus on a movie about climate change, a topic that seems about as ripe for laughs as murderers. However, McKay has found the humor in dark topics before — tackling the financial crash of 2008 in “The Big Short,” the Iraq War in “Vice,” and natural disasters with “Don’t Look Up.” It’s unclear how he’ll take on the mounting threat to the planet or if Netflix will be involved.

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In “Average Height, Average Build,” Pattinson was set to play a serial murderer who enlists a lobbyist to work on his behalf to change the law so he can kill with impunity. Downey was set to play a cop obsessed with bringing the killer to justice in this sendup of Beltway dysfunction.

McKay won an Oscar for writing “The Big Short.” He’s been nominated for directing that film and “Vice.” He’s also been nominated for his script for “Vice” and for “Don’t Look Up,” which, like “The Big Short,” were up for best picture. McKay was head writer of “Saturday Night Live” before directing “Anchorman,” “The Other Guys,” “Step Brothers” and “Talladega Nights.” Netflix produced “Don’t Look Up.”

Deadline broke the news that McKay had left “Average Height, Average Build” for a climate change project.

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