Imagine James Franco peacocking in black nail polish, eyeliner, and a furry top hat that was never in style per se, but looks this close to coming back in. Imagine him wearing all this, standing in a bar, attempting to facilitate a hook-up for a friend by gently insulting a woman (and her intelligence) in a process those in the know refer to as “negging.” Imagine not having to imagine this, and being able to see it with your own eyes.
Well, your new dream is about to come true. Deadline reports that Franco and producer Demian Gregory have signed on to produce a big-screen adaptation of Neil Strauss’s advice book The Game (subtitle: Penetrating the Secret Society of Pickup Artists), with Franco playing Strauss’s famous wingman Mystery. Shooting is expected to begin next year. The rest of the cast, as well as the premise, has yet to be announced.
Last year, 10 years after the publication of The Game, Strauss denounced some of the techniques encouraged in The Game as “objectifying and horrifying.” He also released The Truth, a sort of answer to The Game, in which Strauss described his attempt to settle down and maintain a long-term relationship. But since no one reads books anymore, “objectifying and horrifying” may remain a huge part of his legacy.
GET JEZEBEL RIGHT IN YOUR INBOX
Still here. Still without airbrushing. Still with teeth.
