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Now that they’ve conquered nearly every other media fiefdom, Burger King and Crispin Porter & Bogusky plan to invade Hollywood.
Crispin creatives have written a BK-oriented movie, plan to start shooting this fall and are shopping it to 20th Century Fox and Universal Pictures, Advertising Age has learned. The Miami-based agency is looking for a financial and distribution partner, according to executives familiar with recent meetings, and while specifics haven’t been ironed out, As for the upcoming movie, Crispin executives have said they want to create a modestly budgeted (under $10 million) character-driven story that takes place in an apartment above a Burger King restaurant. So far, there’s no director, nor a completed script, which is being overseen personally by agency honcho Alex Bogusky and is expected by fall. No casting has taken place, though it’s anticipated that the movie would feature emerging talent rather than big-name stars. Aside from the setting, the ubiquitous and controversial Burger King mascot would have no real role in the movie, said executives who have attended the meetings. Universal executives declined to comment, and Fox executives did not return calls. A Crispin spokeswoman and Burger King declined to comment. Crispin executives have used several film reference points to describe the movie they want to make. Among them are "Garden State," "Napoleon Dynamite," "Raising Victor Vargas" and "What’s Eating Gilbert Grape?" They intentionally did not go the sophomoric goofball comedy route, a la "Harold and Kumar Go to White Castle" or "American Pie."
Franchisees contacted about the film weren’t aware of the plan but liked the idea. While in Chicago this week, Al Cabrera, chairman of Heartland Food Corp, owner-operator of 249 Burger King restaurants, said his children gleefully pointed to a White Castle after recognizing it from the "Harold and Kumar" movie. "I think it’s a great idea," he said.
Advertising Age
Word to the wise, do not use scary Burger King dude unless you are planning on a doing a horror movie.
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