Randall Park To Make Directorial Debut With ‘Shortcomings’ Adaptation

Fresh Off the Boat star Randall Park is set to make his feature directing debut with an adaptation of the graphic novel Shortcomings by famed cartoonist Adrian Tomine, who also penned the screenplay. Roadside Attractions’ Howard Cohen, Eric d’Arbeloff, Jennifer Berman, and Ryan Paine, who brought the project to the company, will produce the comedic drama in collaboration with Park, Michael Golamco, and Hieu Ho’s Imminent Collision.

Shortcomings, considered an iconic work of contemporary Asian American fiction, is about a trio of young Bay Area urbanites––Ben Tanaka, Miko Hayashi, and Alice Kim––as they navigate a range of interpersonal relationships, traversing the country in search of the ideal connection. In cafes, bars, and bedrooms, their stories collide and intertwine with naked candor and razor-sharp humor.

“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,” remarked Park. “In these characters, I see versions 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. “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.”

Roadside, Imminent, and Park have been developing the project with Tomine and will go out to buyers in the coming weeks.

Said Roadside SVP Berman, “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. We are honored to work with this stellar creative team to help bring this hilariously poignant story to screen.”

Tomine’s graphic novel canon includes his memoir, The Loneliness of the Long-Distance Cartoonist, which was named a New York Times Notable Book of the Year, as well as the 2015 graphic short story collection Killing & Dying, which is the inspiration behind Jacques Audiard’s next feature, Les Olympiades. Well-known for his cover illustrations for The New Yorker, Tomine is repped by UTA.

Recently, Park wrapped a successful six-season run as beloved father Louis Huang on ABC’s Fresh Off the Boat and he reprised his role as Jimmy Woo in the Marvel series WandaVision on Disney+. In addition, Park co-wrote, produced, and starred in the hit Netflix romantic comedy Always Be My Maybe. Park and Imminent Collision are repped by UTA and Myman Greenspan. Park is also managed by Artists First.