Over the past several years, few working filmmakers have been as busy as Michael Showalter. The writer, director, and actor, once known primarily for his involvement in the cultish “Wet Hot American Summer” franchise, has seen a precipitous rise in both the movies and TV. His work on prestigious projects like “The Eyes of Tammy Faye,” “The Shrink Next Door,” and the Emmy-nominated “The Dropout” have earned him a reputation as one of the business’s most reliable operators. He’s now taking on another story based on actual events, seemingly becoming his professional specialty.
“Spoiler Alert” will be adapted from the memoir of Michael Ausiello, a TV industry journalist, and commentator who has worked for TV Guide and Entertainment Weekly. According to the official website, the feature-length film will “[follow] the final 11-month period of photographer Kit Cowan’s life, from his diagnosis with terminal cancer to his death, through the eyes of his lover Michael Ausiello and their relationship.”
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Here’s the official synopsis:
Based on Michael Ausiello’s best-selling memoir, Spoiler Alert follows Ausiello as he unpacks the emotional maelstrom into which his relationship was plunged in the 11 months that took his partner, photographer Kit, from his diagnosis with terminal cancer to his passing. Interwoven in the narrative are glimpses of the roller-coaster ride that was the couple’s 14-year romance.
The screenplay was co-written by veteran actor David Marshall Grant, prominent sex advice columnist, and LGBT activist Dan Savage. Leading the call sheet will be “The Big Bang Theory” star Jim Parsons as Ausiello, with “Pennyworth” co-star Ben Aldridge as Cowan. Meanwhile, Oscar winner Sally Field will portray Cowan’s mother, Marilyn. Other cast members include Tony Award winners Bill Irwin (“Legion”) and Nikki M. James (“Severance”), “Queer Eye” epicurean and TV personality Antoni Porowski, Jeffery Self (“Search Party”), and Tara Summers (“Master of None”).
“Spoiler Alert” is set for limited theatrical release on December 2 before going nationwide on December 16. Check out the trailer below.