Roadside Attractions and Imminent Collision are teaming on the feature film adaptation of Adrian Tomine’s acclaimed graphic novel Shortcomings. Randall Park will make his feature directorial debut on the comedic drama, with a screenplay adapted by Tomine, who is also executive producing.
Indie studio Roadside Attractions will produce in collaboration with Randall Park, Michael Golamco, and Hieu Ho’s Imminent Collision. Roadside, Imminent, and Park have been developing the project with Tomine and will go out to buyers in the coming weeks.
Regarded as one of the most masterful cartoonists of his generation, Tomine is well-known for his celebrated cover illustrations for The New Yorker. His acclaimed graphic novels include his graphic memoir The Loneliness of the Long-Distance Cartoonist, named a New York Times Notable Book of the Year, and the 2015 graphic short story collection Killing and Dying, which serves as the basis of Jacques Audiard’s recently-wrapped next feature, Les Olympiades.
Shortcomings follows a trio of young Bay Area urbanites — Ben Tanaka, Miko Hayashi, and Alice Kim — as they navigate a range of interpersonal relationships, traversing the country in search of the ideal connection. In cafes, bars, and bedrooms, their stories collide and intertwine with naked candor and razor-sharp humor.
The groundbreaking graphic novel is considered an iconic work of contemporary Asian American fiction and stands as a poignant and hilariously irreverent examination of racial politics, sexual mores, and pop culture.
Randall Park has been making a foray into directing television, having helmed the series finale of Fresh Off the Boat, which ended its historic six-season run on ABC last year and in which he starred as the beloved father Louis Huang.
He most recently starred as Jimmy Woo in the critically-acclaimed Marvel Studios series WandaVision on Disney+. On the feature side, Park co-wrote, produced, and starred in the hit Netflix romantic comedy Always Be My Maybe.
“I am such a huge fan of Adrian’s work, and I’m very excited to team with him and Roadside Attractions on this updated, modern take of Shortcomings. In these characters, I see versions of Asian Americans in my own life – the ones I love and the ones I just kind of tolerate,” said Randall Park.
“Shortcomings is a book that’s very close to my heart, and I have long resisted the idea of any adaptation that didn’t feel true to the style and spirit of the material. Randall, Roadside Attractions, and Imminent Collision immediately impressed me with their passion, insight, and vision for this film. They have been invaluable partners in the process of translating Shortcomings both to the screen as well as to the current time, and I’m honored to be a part of this collaboration,” said Adrian Tomine.
Producing for Roadside Attractions are Co-Presidents Howard Cohen and Eric d’Arbeloff, Senior Vice President Jennifer Berman, and Creative Executive Ryan Paine, who brought the project into the company. Hieu Ho, Michael Golamco, and Randall Park will produce for Imminent Collision.
“With his adaptation of Shortcomings, Adrian has proven himself not only a brilliant cartoonist but also a talented screenwriter. When Randall came to us with a true artist’s vision for telling this story cinematically, everything clicked into place. We are honored to work with this stellar creative team to help bring this hilariously poignant story to screen,” said Roadside SVP Jennifer Berman.
