Entertainment > 'Virgin' Director to Team With Seth Rogen

'40-Year-Old Virgin' Director Says His Next Movie Will Star Seth Rogen

This undated photo supplied by Universal Pictures shows Director Judd Apatow on the California set of the succesful film comedy, "The 40 Year-Old Virgin." He doubs that a sequel to the film is possible, but speaking to The Associated Press recently, Apato

But Apatow told The Associated Press in a recent interview that he's working on a new comedy for one of the stars from the movie: Seth Rogen.

The burly, bearded Rogen got his break on the short-lived but critically acclaimed 1999 sitcom "Freaks and Geeks" for which Apatow was a writer.

Rogen, 23, has since appeared in "Anchorman: The Legend of Ron Burgundy" and written for "Da Ali G Show," but Apatow's film is his most widely seen work yet.

"I've worked with him since he was 16 on `Freaks and Geeks' and always thought he could be a big comedy star," Apatow said. "The nice thing about `Virgin' is that it shows the studios that if the premise is a strong one, you can take a chance on a new actor in the lead."

Apatow's gamble on Steve Carell appears to have paid off. The former "Daily Show" correspondent and bit-part character actor has been hailed for his starring performance in "Virgin."

"So I'm going to do the same thing with Seth Rogen," Apatow says.

Apatow wouldn't reveal details of the project, but said it would be an R-rated "offbeat romantic comedy" in the same budget range as "Virgin." He hopes to begin shooting next spring.

"The 40-Year-Old Virgin," Apatow's first crack at feature film directing, has led the box office for two weeks, bringing its total to $48.7 million.

2005-09-03