Julia Roberts and Jennifer Aniston are teaming up for a new twist on the body-swap comedy for Amazon Studios. The project, which does not have a title, will be written and directed by Max Brabakow. The filmmaker previously directed the critically acclaimed Neon/Hulu hit Palm Springs starring Andy Samberg and Cristin Milioti.
Brabakow pitched his new idea last week, kicking off a hearted auction among studios and streamers, reports Deadline. Amazon Studios came out on top. LuckyChap Entertainment, the production label run by Margot Robbie, Tom Ackerley, and Josey McNamara, will produce the film. Roberts’ Red Om Films, Aniston’s Echo Films, and Barbakow will also produce.
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Little is known about the plot beyond it involving body swapping. Brabakow’s Palm Springs showed a knack for taking a time-worn concept and taking it in a new direction. Palm Springs starred Samberg and Milioti as strangers who meet at a wedding and get stuck in a time loop, similar to Bill Murray in Groundhog Day. The movie earned two Golden Globe nominations and won Best Comedy at the Critics’ Choice Awards. It is still available to stream on Hulu.
Amazon’s interest in the Aniston-Roberts project was reportedly inspired by the success of Universal’s Ticket to Paradise. The romantic comedy starred Roberts and George Clooney, and surprisingly grossed over $169 million worldwide last fall. It proved that Hollywood can still attract audiences if they pair two likable, beloved stars. Paramount’s The Lost City, which paired Sandra Bullock with Channing Tatum, was also a surprise hit, grossing $190.8 million worldwide last spring.
Roberts is an Oscar winner for her role in Erin Brokovich (2000). She previously worked with Amazon on Homecoming (2018), which was the first time she had a regular series role in a TV project. Last year, she starred in Starz’s Watergate miniseries Gaslit with Sean Penn. Her next movie is Netflix’s Leave the World Behind, directed by Roberts’ Homecoming collaborator, Sam Esmail.
As for Aniston, she has already worked with Amazon Prime Video’s top competitors. She stars in Apple TV+’s series The Morning Show, opposite Reese Witherspoon. She also starred in Adam Sandler’s Netflix comedy Murder Mysteryย and stars in the upcoming sequel, which will be released on March 31. Aniston won an Emmy in 2002 and a Golden Globe in 2003 for Friends. She also picked up an Emmy nod for The Morning Show in 2020 and as an executive producer on Friends: The Reunion in 2021.
