HBO Develops ‘Band’ Comedy With Will Ferrell, Adam McKay and Lizzy Caplan

EXCLUSIVE: HBO is teaming with Will Ferrell and Adam McKay’s Gary Sanchez and actress Lizzy Caplan to develop a comedy series project based on actress/writer Julie Klausner’s memoir I Don’t Care About Your Band. The project is eyed as a potential starring vehicle for Caplan, who is coming off Starz’s cult comedy series Party Down. The book, a gritty but comedic look at what it’s like to navigate the dating world in your 20s, chronicles Klausner’s experiences from her preadolescent sexual awakenings through the unsavory details of sleeping with a gallery of losers throughout her 20s.

Gary Sanchez’s Owen Burke brought the book to the company’s Jessica Elbaum, who recently received an Emmy nomination for executive producing Ferrell’s You’re Welcome America HBO special. (She also exec produced the one-man Broadway play the special was adapted from from.) Elbaum started developing the project with Caplan. Gary Sanchez’ Ferrell, McKay, Chris Henchy and Elbaum will executive produce Band, with Caplan and Burke producing.

Band expands Gary Sanchez’ relationship with HBO. The CAA/WME-repped company produces HBO’s comedy series Eastbound & Down, which is returning for a second season. HBO also owns a stake in Gary Sanchez’s successful comedy web site Funny or Die, which spawned a Funny or Die-branded sketch comedy series on the pay cable channel.

Caplan, repped by CAA and Benderspink, also has a history with HBO where she recurred on True Blood. The actress recently completed Danny Boyle’s 127 Hours and indie Queens of Country. She got a lot of praise for her guest starring stint on the CBS comedy pilot Mad Love but declined to stay on as a regular on the show, which was picked up to series for midseason.

Comments (29)

  • lizzy caplan is beyond hot

    Comment by Bobmcbob — Thursday July 29, 2010 @ 5:50pm PDT  Reply to this post
    • This book is fantastic, can’t wait to see it in film.

      Comment by Michelle — Friday July 30, 2010 @ 12:31pm PDT  Reply to this post
    • Fake tits and a willingness to show them doesn’t make you hot. No wonder she can’t get a romantic lead to save her life.

      Comment by annabellelee — Thursday November 11, 2010 @ 5:32pm PST  Reply to this post
      • thats a stretch isn’t it? I don’t think she had work done hey.

        Comment by beantownahhh — Tuesday November 23, 2010 @ 4:27am PST  Reply to this post
      • Yeah, and talking shit about women doesn’t make you hot either; it’s kinda pathetic.

        Comment by Julia — Tuesday January 4, 2011 @ 8:51pm PST  Reply to this post
        • I’m actually a man. A gay man who has known her for ages. It’s not talking shit when you know your facts. It’s nice that you’re a fan but her talent is extremely limited.

          Comment by Annabellelee — Wednesday February 23, 2011 @ 12:45am PST  Reply to this post
  • Can’t wait to see this project come to fruition. I hope Julie Klausner will have creative input throughout. It is a great book and should make for a great series.

    Comment by Scott Riggi — Thursday July 29, 2010 @ 5:59pm PDT  Reply to this post
  • HBO Comedy hasn’t been in great shape lately. So I don’t know about this. Although Bored to Death got better throughout it’s 1st season. Hung and Entourage should be canceled.

    Comment by Jack — Thursday July 29, 2010 @ 6:07pm PDT  Reply to this post
  • Stay classy, HBO.

    Comment by mike — Thursday July 29, 2010 @ 6:23pm PDT  Reply to this post
  • i haven’t read this book but have always thought lizzy was hot on true blood and then hilarious on party down. if you combine those two things for this show = win.

    Comment by michael — Thursday July 29, 2010 @ 6:41pm PDT  Reply to this post
  • Lizzy is also – well WAS – great on Party Down. Worth mentioning, I’d say. This could be a great role for her if the show is done well!

    Comment by Stephanie — Thursday July 29, 2010 @ 6:47pm PDT  Reply to this post
  • MEOW!

    Comment by Taylor Dane Hates Taylor Lautner — Thursday July 29, 2010 @ 7:25pm PDT  Reply to this post
  • She had great charisma in Hot Tub Time Machine

    Comment by 40yearoldstitzer — Thursday July 29, 2010 @ 8:40pm PDT  Reply to this post
  • Lizzy Caplan, and Adam McKay? I will watch it say no more, just show me the pilot.

    Comment by Adam Murphy — Thursday July 29, 2010 @ 9:05pm PDT  Reply to this post
  • HBO looks like its going to be great again. True Blood season 3 is outstanding. The trailer for Boardwalk Empire looks great. It could seriously give Mad Men a run for it’s money come awards time. According to the Hollywood Reporter and other publications saying that Boardwalk Empire was a stand out at the LA screenings for International networks. But, is that a surprise? I mean it does have Martin Scorsese, Steve Buscemi and Terrence Winter. The newest looks great.

    Comment by Peter — Thursday July 29, 2010 @ 9:13pm PDT  Reply to this post
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