Steve Coogan Says Alan Partridge Is Not Protagonist Of His Own Film

Steve Coogan says the long-gestating Alan Partridge movie will film this summer for a release next year. Last April the British comedian revealed that his long time buddies and collaborators Pete Baynham (Borat, Arthur) and Armando Ianucci (In the Loop, I'm Alan Partridge) were working on the screenplay for the movie and now the stars seem to be aligning for the narcissistic but constantly lame talk show host to finally make his big screen debut. Though strangely, Coogan says in the latest print issue of Vanity Fair that Partridge won't be the hero; "...there's quite a large event in a small town. And Alan is not the protagonist. He's...an unwilling participant." An Alan Partridge movie not about Alan Partridge??? So who the heck is the lead? The proposed Alan Partridge movie is currently studio-less but I can't imagine it will be too difficult for Coogan to secure a film deal somewhere for his most famous character. Plus the lack of studio interference has allowed the trio to go as bonkers as their imagination takes them with the character; "It's been great when Armando and Steve and I have been together," Coogan said. "Everyone's laughing, everyone's doing Alan. Three Alans in a room -- torture, really." Meanwhile, Coogan also confirms to the magazine that a follow-up to the witty road drama "The Trip" (which was screened as a BBC tv series over here but a film in the U.S.) he co-starred with Rob Brydon is in the works, with Michael Winterbottom back to direct, but no shooting date has been set yet. Coogan reveals the plot this time moves from the two UK celebrities touring restaurants in England to a trip to Italy "retracing the steps of Shelley and Byron, with all the attendant pompousness and portent." source - the playlist