Rob Riggle Takes On Drama With ‘Midnight Sun’ Pic

EXCLUSIVE: This is no joke: Rob Riggle has been cast in Midnight Sun, the YA romantic drama that stars Bella Thorne and Patrick Schwarzenegger. It begins production next week in Vancouver. Based on a 2006 Japanese film, Midnight Sun centers on Katie (Thorne), a 17-year-old girl sheltered since childhood and confined to her house during the day by a rare disease that makes even the smallest amount of sunlight deadly. Fate intervenes when she meets Charlie (Schwarzenegger) and they embark on a summer romance.

In his first crack at a drama role, Riggle will play Katie’s father Jack, a loving and compassionate man who tries his best to give his daughter a good life. Scott Speer is directing a script from Eric Kirsten. The pic is from the Boies/Schiller Film Group (Jane Got A Gun), which is financing, and Rickard Pictures (Fist Fight).

Riggle, currently killing it as the comic relief on Fox’s Sunday staple NFL On Fox, most recently voiced a role in Hotel Transylvania 2. His credits are all comedies though including as a correspondent on The Daily Show, from Dumb And Dumber To and the Jump Street movies to New Girl, The League and Modern Family.

He repped by WME, Principato Young and attorney Warren Dern at Sloan, Offer.