‘The Greasy Strangler’ Filmmaker Jim Hosking, Abso Lutely Team On Indie Sports Comedy ‘Gleek’

Matt Grobar
·3-min read

EXCLUSIVE: Jim Hosking, the award-winning British filmmaker behind idiosyncratic Sundance titles The Greasy Strangler and An Evening with Beverly Luff Lin, has been tapped to direct Gleek, a sports action comedy that has Tim Heidecker and Dave Kneebone of renowned comedy-focused production company Abso Lutely (Nathan for You, Tim & Eric Awesome Show) amongst its producers.

Also produced by former Orchard and IDW Entertainment head Paul Davidson (upcoming Electric Dreams remake) and screenwriter Fabian Marquez (Better Luck Tomorrow), who together penned the script, the film tells the story of a hapless young man who discovers that his overactive salivary glands qualify him to compete in a secret, underground competition that holds the key to restoring his family’s good name.

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In a statement on the project, Hosking shared that his mission in setting out to make a new film is “to take viewers on a trip they’ve never taken the likes of before,” noting that the “outlandishly hilarious and also deeply human Gleek” will allow him to accomplish just that. Added the filmmaker, “I can’t wait to make viewers laugh deeply, but then cry deeply too. Tears fom laughing and then tears from not-laughing. It is time to make a film for the ages that writhes to the beat of its own glistening pounding epiglottis!”

Stated writer-producers Davidson and Marquez, “Gleeking is an obscure childhood talent reimagined as a feature film (and perhaps someday as a Broadway musical that will be adapted back into a movie) about the power of family, heart and saliva. Jim’s immense talent, unique visual style and passion for the same batshit crazy story overjoyed us. We’re thrilled to be partnering with him to bring this unique world to life, and excited to be doing it with Tim and Dave at Abso Lutely.”

A well known alum of the Sundance Film Festival, currently taking place in Utah, Hosking broke out with The Greasy Strangler, a bizarro title which world premiered in the Midnight section and won him the Discovery Award at the British Independent Film Awards. He returned to the festival in 2018 with the oddball romantic comedy An Evening with Beverly Luff Linn, starring Aubrey Plaza, Jemaine Clement, Matt Berry and Craig Robinson, having first been at the festival with the short Renegades in 2010. Curently in post on his third feature, Ebony and Ivory, Hosking also wrote and directed the show Tropical Cop Tales for Adult Swim.

Founded in 2007 by Heidecker, Kneebone and Eric Wareheim, Abso Lutely is known for its work on the series Tim and Eric Awesome Show, Great Job!, Nathan for You, The Eric Andre Show and Magic for Humans. Most recently, the company set a partnership with the Uprights Citizen Brigade to generate new film and TV projects and foster new creative voices.

Hosking is repped by Independent Talent Group in the UK.

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