A+E Studios will develop a scripted workplace series based on Douglas Tirola’s feature documentary film “Drunk Stoned Brilliant Dead: The Story of the National Lampoon.”
The series marks the first time A+E has developed a series based on one of its own properties.
For the doc, Tirola conducted extensive interviews with all the magazine’s key living editors, writers and artists and unearthed never-before-seen archival footage in his feature documentary, which premiered at the 2015 Sundance Film Festival, and aired on History in January 2016.
Matty Simmons, who co-founded the “National Lampoon” magazine in 1970, will serve as consulting producer on the “Drunk Stoned Brilliant Dead” series.
Simmons also produced the feature films “Animal House,” National Lampoon’s “Vacation” series of films, beginning with “National Lampoon’s Vacation,” among others.
He is also the author of “If You Don’t Buy This Book We’ll Kill This Dog: Life, Laughs, Love and Death at the National Lampoon.”
Produced by A+E Studios, “Drunk Stoned Brilliant Dead” will be executive produced by Tirola and co-executive produced by Susan Bedusa for their 4th Row Films.
A+E Studios and producers are currently meeting with show runners and expect to bring the fully packaged project to market very soon.