Here on earth, Paul Feig is responsible for blockbuster comedies like “Bridesmaids” and the cult TV show “Freaks and Geeks.” For his new Yahoo Screen series, however, he’s taking matters out of orbit.
“Other Space,” Feig’s streaming comedy set aboard a spaceship in the year 2105, held its premiere screening Tuesday night at West Hollywood’s London Hotel, where TheWrap spoke exclusively with the director about his love of sci-fi, the state of streaming content and his decision to return to the small screen.
“I actually should sue Yahoo for stealing my color,” Feig joked when we asked if the purple accents in his suit (also Yahoo’s signature color) were more than coincidental. It was only a year ago the tech giant commissioned the comedy from Feig, about a group of misfits piloting a spaceship that gets sucked into a parallel universe and must find its way home.
“I love genres. I’m a huge sci-fi fan and I love anything where a bunch of people who shouldn’t be together get stuck somewhere. Honestly, ‘Freaks and Geeks’ was that. In high school, you’re there because you’re the same age and live in the same area,” Feig said. “Otherwise you’re trapped with people you have no reason to be with. Space is the alternate version of that.”
Indeed 1999’s “Freaks and Geeks” put a lens on a quirky, angst-ridden American high school. While it only lasted one season the series found talent like James Franco, Seth Rogen, Linda Cardellini and Martin Starr before their big breaks.
“Other Space” was a concept of Feig’s for nearly ten years before landing at Yahoo, and the “Spy” helmer says streaming is the perfect platform for this kind of work.
“I wanted to do something not on a network. I like new media, and I really wanted to do something where we could do what we wanted and not have the constraints and the pressures of the big networks… I’ve always said I’d rather do the first scripted show on QVC than to be fighting on a network to find your way.”
In terms of the evolution of streaming, Feig says “it’s the best thing to ever happen to entertainment hands down. It makes it a total meritocracy. It means the good shows get seen, and the ones that aren’t as good get scrubbed away, and it should be that way.”
The entire first season of “Other Space,” starring Trace Beaulieu, Karan Soni, Milana Vayntrub, Conor Leslie and Neil Casey, is available for viewing here.
The aforementioned “Spy,” starring Melissa McCarthy and Jude Law, opens June 5. Feig’s hotly anticipated all-female “Ghostbusters,” starring McCarthy, Kristen Wiig, Kate McKinnon, and Leslie Jones, is due July 2016.
10 Unforgettable Space Odysseys (Photos)
2001: A SPACE ODYSSEY
Widely considered one of the best sci-fi films of all time, Stanley Kubrick's space opera revolutionized the genre. Though the film's message is up to interpretation, one thing beyond question is how the visual effects are superior to a lot of movies made today.
APOLLO 13
Ron Howard directs this movie based of the true story of the Apollo 13 mission. Tom Hanks stars in the inspiring movie about three astronauts who had to find a way to return home safely in a broken vessel. "Apollo 13" earned a best picture nomination, but lost to "Braveheart."
EVENT HORIZON
When a ship thought to be lost mysteriously returns from a black hole, a crew is set to investigate and discovers someone, or something, else is onboard. Laurence Fishburne and Sam Neill starred for Paul W.S. Anderson in his pre-"Resident Evil" days.
ALIEN
Ridley Scott successfully mixed the horror and sci-fi genres with 1979's "Alien," about a crew picked off by a vicious alien. The sequels, and prequel, that it spawned would drop the horror aspect and go with more straightforward action.
MAROONED
Released just five months before Apollo 13 would begin its fateful mission in 1969, "Marooned" followed a group of astronauts whose engines fail and are in a race against time to get back to Earth.
MISSION TO MARS
Tim Robbins and Don Cheadle lead a rescue mission to the red planet when disaster strikes the crew of a previous mission. "Mission to Mars" would prove to be Brian De Palma's first -- and only -- sci-fi outing.
MOON
Sam Rockwell works alone at a base on the moon -- or so he thinks. When he finds an unconscious body on the lunar surface that looks exactly like him he begins to realize that his job may be more than it appears. Duncan Jones received rave reviews for his directorial debut.
SUNSHINE
Danny Boyle added his personal signature to space travel with 2007's "Sunshine." Cillian Murphy leads a team of astronauts with the mission of reigniting the sun with a nuclear bomb in order to save the Earth.
LOST IN SPACE
This remake of the 1960s TV series saw the Robinson family's journey thrown off course by a villainous Gary Oldman. Another notable member of the cast was "Friends" star Matt LeBlanc -- whose film career seemed to disappear just like the Robinsons.
A TRIP TO THE MOON
More than half a decade before space travel would become a reality, a group of scientists travel to the Moon and encounter aliens in George Meliés masterpiece. Made in 1902, "A Trip to the Moon" helped kick start the idea of what film could do.
1 of 10
With ”Gravity“ hitting screens on Friday, here are 10 other films where stars get lost in space.
2001: A SPACE ODYSSEY
Widely considered one of the best sci-fi films of all time, Stanley Kubrick's space opera revolutionized the genre. Though the film's message is up to interpretation, one thing beyond question is how the visual effects are superior to a lot of movies made today.
