Billy Porter to Direct Teen Comedy ‘Camp’ for HBO Max

Rebecca Rubin
·2 min read

Billy Porter is set to direct a feature film adaptation of “Camp,” a teen comedy about love, musical theater and summer camp.

The movie, set at Warner Bros. and scheduled to premiere on HBO Max, is based on Lev Rosen’s young adult novel. It centers on 16-year-old Randy Kapplehoff, who spends his summers at Camp Outland, an outdoor oasis for queer teens. It’s there that he meets his best friends, stars in the big musical — and falls in love with Hudson Aaronson-Lim, a boy who doesn’t know he exists. So Randy reinvents himself as the buff and masculine Del, who forgoes his beloved show tunes, nail polish and unicorn bedsheets to capture the heart of the hunky camper. But as he and Hudson grow closer, Randy has to consider how much he’s willing to change for love.

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Along with directing duties, Porter will play the role of Mark, the camp’s theater director. It is not clear who will portray Randy or Hudson.

Robert O’Hara (“Slave Play”) is writing the screenplay from a previous draft by Kit Williamson. Dan Jinks, whose producing credits include “Milk,” “Big Fish,” “Down With Love” and “American Beauty,” is producing “Camp” through his shingle The Dan Jinks Company.

“Billy Porter, who I’ve been fortunate to know for more than 20 years, is the perfect director for this story, which is both hilariously funny, and also quite moving,” Jinks said in a statement. “I wish a movie like this was around when I was growing up. I’m thrilled we get to make it now.”

“Camp” is Porter’s third directing gig, having recently signed on to tackle an untitled queer comedy for Amazon Studios. He’s making his feature directorial debut with the coming-of-age romantic comedy “What If?” for Orion Pictures. Porter, who received multiple Emmy nominations for “Pose,” most recently appeared as the Fabulous Godmother in Kay Cannon’s reimagining of “Cinderella,” starring Camila Cabello, as well as HBO Max’s “Gossip Girl” reboot.

Deadline Hollywood first announced the news of Porter’s attachment.

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