Joel McHale to Portray Chevy Chase in Netflix's National Lampoon Origins Movie

Joel McHale is in final negotiations to portray Chevy Chase, with whom he starred on NBC’s Community, in Netflix’s tragic story of National Lampoon co-founder Douglas Kenney, A Futile and Stupid Gesture.

Will Forte is starring as Kenney with Domnhall Gleeson as fellow co-founder Henry Beard in the feature being directed by David Wain, the co-creator of Wet Hot American Summer.

Kenney was the editor of the Harvard Lampoon when he met Henry Beard and Robert Hoffman, which, soon after graduation, resulted in the creation of National Lampoon, the humor magazine that became a major force and brand in 1970s comedy. Kenney ended up going Hollywood and succumbed to drug and alcohol issues before falling off a cliff in Hawaii under mysterious circumstances.

Kenney co-wrote Caddyshack, the 1980 comedy that was an early Chase hit, and the two were close friends. Chase was with his troubled pal in Hawaii before his death but returned to Los Angeles for work. He was set to fly back when he received word that Kenney was missing.

Stupid Gesture is eyeing an April start with a budget in the $15 million to $20 million range.

Peter Principato and Jonathan Stern are producing. Ed Helms is executive producing along with Colton and Aboud. Ben Ormand, Ted Hamm and Sean McKittrick are also exec producing.

McHale starred with Chase for five of Community's six seasons. The actor-comedian, who continues to tour sold-out comedy shows across the U.S., is starring in the CBS pilot The Great Indoors, which shoots later this month. He also has his memoir, titled Thanks for the Money: How to Use My Life Story to Become the Best Joel McHale You Can Be, hitting shelves in November.

McHale is repped by WME and Ziffren Brittenham.

Matt Lucas Joins National Lampoon Movie 'A Futile and Stupid Gesture'

The National Lampoon writers room just got a little bigger.

Matt Lucas is joining Netflix's A Futile and Stupid Gesture, the origin story of the humor magazine that became a major force in 1970s comedy.

He's attached to an ever-growing cast that already includes Will Forte, Domhnall Gleeson, Emmy Rossum, Matt Walsh and Joel McHale.

Lucas will be playing English satirist Tony Hendra, who was the first editor hired by National Lampoon founders Doug Kenney and Henry Beard.

Wet Hot American Summer's David Wain will direct the film, which is adapted from the 2006 book by Josh Karp by screenwriters Michael Colton and John Aboud. Peter Principato and Jonathan Stern are producing. Ed Helms is executive producing along with Colton and Aboud. Ben Ormand, Ted Hamm and Sean McKittrick are also exec producing.

Lucas first made waves, along with Rebel Wilson, as one half of weird sibling duo in Kristen Wiig's Bridesmaids. He will next be seen reprising his role as Tweedledee and Tweedledum in Tim Burton's Alice Through the Looking Glass.

Lucas is repped by WME and Troika.

Netflix Rounds Out Cast of National Lampoon Movie 'A Futile & Stupid Gesture'

As Netflix begins shooting today its feature film A Futile & Stupid Gesture, the streaming giant has officially unveiled the cast that will tackle the whos-who of comedic icons.

Will Forte and Domhnall Gleeson will play National Lampoon co-founders Doug Kenney and Henry Beard, respectively.

Based on Josh Karp's best-selling 2006 book of the same name, the story chronicles the life and career of Kenney and will feature a host of plum comedic roles including Joel McHale as Chevy Chase, Matt Lucas as Tony Hendra; Thomas Lennon as Michael O’Donoghue, Seth Green as Christopher Guest, Jackie Tohn as Gilda Radner, Natasha Lyonne as Anne Beatts, Emmy Rossum as Kathryn Walker, Elvy Yost as Mary Marshmallow, Matt Walsh as Matty Simmons, John Gemberling as John Belushi, Rick Glassman as Harold Ramis, Camille Guaty as Alex Garcia-Mata and Jon Daly as Bill Murray. Martin Mull also co-stars as an older version of Kenney.

David Wain (Wet Hot American Summer) is directing from a script penned by Michael Colton & John Aboud (Childrens Hospital). Production is taking place in Los Angeles.

Kenney co-founded the groundbreaking humor magazine National Lampoon in 1970 and went on to co-create the seminal movies Animal House and Caddyshack. His work was a major influence on subsequent generations of comedic writers and filmmakers.

Peter Principato and Jonathan Stern are producing A Futile & Stupid Gesture for Principato-Young Entertainment and Abominable Pictures. Wain, Colton, Aboud, Ed Helms, Ben Ormand, Sean McKittrick and Ted Hamm are executive producing.

Netflix will release A Futile & Stupid Gesture in 2017.