Judd Apatow to write post-Iraq comedy film

This summer's Trainwreck is the first movie Judd Apatow directed without writing, but he won't turn away from screenwriting just yet. His pen is still firmly in his hand, but he's ready to tackle some new subjects. Specifically as he gets ready to write a comedy on soliders post-Iraq/Afghanistan with Phil Klay, at least loosely based the latter's book Redeployment.

Apatow describes the project as "a little bit about service, sacrifice, things like that." When he talked about it on Pete Holmes' podcast You Made It Weird, via The Playlist, he explained a little more what the film may become.

“We’ve been writing an original screenplay and that’s been a different experience a comedy with drama or a drama with comedy about those people and what they’ve gone through and hopefully in an entertaining way so it’s not one of these depressing movies you don’t want to see," he said. "But it’s just about: what happens to soldiers who return to a country that isn’t even that aware that we’re at war. And different issues that they face that people don’t think about too much.”

Apatow says the project helps him go to "an interesting area to explore" and "it's outside of the box of what happens in this house." He also believes "it takes a lot for me to write about things I haven't personally experienced."

Even as he writes this, Apatow confesses right now, "I'm like, 'I'm not sure what to write about.'" Especially as he enters middle-age, Apatow now finds himself in new creative directions, and it's interesting to see him try to go outside his normal wheelhouse. Hopefully he produces something that's good in doing so.

Trainwreck comes to theaters on July 17. He also works on various other projects in addition this new Iraq film, particularly a new Pee-Wee Herman movie, a Lonely Island movie, a newly-announced Leslie Mann Paramount comedy and the Hulu series Love. He also still works on Girls.

Image courtesy of ACE/INFphoto.com