Nope‘s Keke Palmer is set to produce and star in the feature comedy The Backup in development at Universal Pictures, which also has Kevin Hart on board to produce, Deadline can confirm.
In the film written by Chris Brew and Jordan Gouveia, player-at-heart Ben decides he’s finally ready to settle down with his childhood friend Alyssa (Palmer). But she then reveals she’s engaged to a handsome billionaire and needs him to be her best man. In return, Ben sets out to Maui with his boys to outshine her fiancé and win her back.
Hartbeat’s Bryan Smiley will produce on behalf of the company, alongside Keke Palmer and Sharon Palmer under their Big Boss Entertainment banner, and Autumn Bailey-Ford through her company Autumn Bailey Entertainment. Patricia Braga and Kayla Stamps will exec produce for Hartbeat.
One of the most in-demand talents in town at the moment, Palmer last year starred opposite Daniel Kaluuya in Jordan Peele’s buzzy horror pic Nope for Universal, which grossed over $171M worldwide. She’s signed on to star opposite Sacha Baron Cohen in David O. Russell’s next film Super Toys and will also soon be seen in the Bert-directed action-comedy Moxie for Amazon.
News of Palmer’s new project was first reported by The Hollywood Reporter.
