Jason Segel to Play David Foster Wallace in New Biopic, "The End of the Tour"

It's set to be directed by James Ponsoldt.

Image via PacificCoastNews/Thomas Janssen

Get ready for the strangest casting you'll hear about today: According to Vulture, Jason Segel has just signed on to a new project from The Spectacular Now director James Ponsoldt called The End of the Tour, in which he'll play the late author David Foster Wallace

The film will reportedly be based on the Rolling Stone article, The Lost Years & Last Days of David Foster Wallace, and subsequent book Although Of Course You End Up Becoming Yourself: A Road Trip With David Foster Wallace, both by David Lipsky. Plot-wise, it'll follow Wallace and Lipsky (portrayed by Jesse Eisenberg) as they travel across the country to promote Wallace's book, Infinite Jest, just as Wallace begins to become a well-known, famous author. "Along the way, jealousy and competition bubbles up between the two writers as they discuss women, depression and the pros and cons of fame," The Wrap reports.

Segel, of course, is usually known for playing characters who are the complete and exact opposte of everything Wallace was in his life, so seeing how he takes on Wallace's persona will be interesting, to say the least. Everyone should absolutely use this as a prompt to start reading Wallace's work.

Production on is expected to begin in February/March of next year. Do you think Segel was the right pick for this project (or that this project should be happening at all)? Sound off in the comments.

[via Vulture]

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