It’s hard to miss Randall Park these days; he’s in a ton of stuff and is a consistent scene stealer. But now, Park is stepping behind the camera to bring a graphic novel to life. Park will helm the adaptation of Shortcomings, a graphic novel by cartoonist Adrian Tomine, Deadline reports, with Roadside Attractions and Imminent Collision producing.
Shortcomings follows the life of a group of young Asian Americans living in the Bay Area in the early 2000s as they explore relationships both with each other and outside, navigating questions about race and culture.
“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,” Park said in an official statement. “In these characters, I see version of Asian Americans in my own life, the ones I love and the ones I just kind of tolerate.”
“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,” said Tomine, who is also penning the screenplay for the adaptation. “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.”
“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,” said Roadside Attractions’ senior VP Jennifer Berman.
The project is in early development, and Deadline says the team will be looking to sell the project in the coming weeks, meaning the project is still a ways off. In the meantime, you can catch him on Young Rock, read up on how Park forgot about his hilarious Office cameo (and the awkward interactions it has led to in his real life), or how he got ready to reprise his role as Jimmy Woo in Marvel Studios’ WandaVision.
