Eric Appel To Direct TriStar Pic ‘The Breadwinner’ Starring Nate Bargatze​on February 25, 2025 at 5:30 pm

EXCLUSIVE: Eric Appel has been tapped by TriStar Pictures to direct The Breadwinner, starring comedian Nate Bargatze. TriStar preemptively acquired the comedy pitch written by Bargatze and Dan Lagana.

Bargatze, the world’s top touring comedian, will make his feature film acting debut in the film and serve as a producer alongside Lagana. Jeremy Latcham will produce the film through Wonder Project.

Bargatze and Lagana are co-writing the script. Plot details for the comedy remain under wraps.

After working on several hit TV series for almost two decades, Appel made a big splash in the feature world with Weird: The Al Yankovic Story. Appel co-wrote, directed and produced the Roku Channel pic that starred Daniel Radcliffe as the iconic singer-songwriter. The film premiered at the 2022 Toronto Film Festival and won the People’s Choice Midnight Madness Award, eventually winning the Emmy for Outstanding TV Movie. TriStar saw Appel as a perfect fit for one of the biggest stars on the stand-up scene making his acting debut.

Appel also directed the first two seasons of Roku Channel’s Die Hart starring Kevin Hart and recently helmed multiple episodes of the second season of The Afterparty, produced by Lord & Miller for Sony/Apple+ TV. His extensive TV directing credits include episodes of Happy Endings, Silicon Valley, Brooklyn Nine-Nine, New Girl and The Office.

He is represented by CAA, Artists First and Lev Ginsbur at Ginsburg Daniels Kallis.