Will Forte circles two roles in A24 goblin comedy
Deadline reports Forte is in talks for David Mikalson’s A24 comedy Goblin, alongside Skyler Gisondo and Kenneth Branagh.
By Bianca Rossi · Entertainment Editor
2 min read
Will Forte may be pulling double duty for A24’s next oddball comedy.
The actor is in negotiations to take on two roles in Goblin, a film being directed by David Mikalson, according to Deadline. The project already has Skyler Gisondo attached, while Kenneth Branagh is lined up to voice the title character, the outlet reported.
Production is planned for the fall, Deadline said, putting Mikalson closer to making the feature after a long, self-started push built around a puppet goblin and a script that drew industry attention.
A puppet, a script and a Hollywood swing
According to Deadline’s earlier reporting, Mikalson is a Washington State writer-director who left film school and began making short films on his own. He developed Goblin as a buddy comedy centered on a practical puppet, working outside the usual studio route.
The film’s central creature, Deadline reported, was a green puppet built with adult anatomical detail. Mikalson had put his money into making the character and was short on cash when A24 came aboard, the outlet said.
Before A24 stepped in, Mikalson’s script helped him land representation with WME, Kaplan/Perrone and attorney Chris Abramson, Deadline reported. His team then circulated the screenplay around town.
That attention led to roughly 100 general meetings for Mikalson, according to the outlet. Deadline said other potential backers waited to see whether he would complete a microbudget version of the comedy, while A24 supplied funding for the larger version.
Forte’s latest move
Forte is best known to many viewers from Saturday Night Live. Deadline noted he was recently seen in The Four Seasons, and his film credits include Nebraska and MacGruber.
The actor is represented by UTA, Rise and Hansen Jacobson, according to Deadline.
A24 has built a reputation for backing new filmmakers, and Deadline framed Goblin as another example of the distributor taking a chance on an emerging director with an unusual vision. The report did not disclose plot details beyond the buddy-comedy setup, nor did it specify Gisondo’s role or the characters Forte would play if his deal closes.
This story draws on original reporting from Deadline.