EXCLUSIVE: Amazon MGM Studios has landed the pitch Stand-In, with Rudy Mancuso attached to direct and compose the film’s original soundtrack.
Mancuso will also write the script alongside Dan Lagana, from a story by Andy Muschietti. Andy and Barbara Muschietti will produce the film, which follows a Hollywood-obsessed stand-in who seizes his chance to shine after a series of events leads to the disappearance of the actor he’s standing in for. Exec producers include Rudy Mancuso, Marianna Mancuso, and Lagana.
Mancuso and Lagana came to partner with Amazon here after collaborating on Música, the studio’s coming-of-age romantic comedy, starring Mancuso and Camila Mendes, which debuted on Prime Video in April. That film follows a young man (Mancuso), plagued by the music in his head, who has to come to terms with an uncertain future while balancing love, family and Brazilian culture in Newark, New Jersey. Mancuso directed from his script written with Lagana, also composing music for the film. The pair exec produced the film, which currently sits at 96% fresh on Rotten Tomatoes, with Wonderland producing.
A self-taught musician, Mancuso has also previously released an instrumental album, opened for Justin Bieber on his Purpose World Tour, and performed at the Hollywood Bowl for Disney/Pixar’s Coco Live-To-Film Concert Experience. He’s also the creator of the puppet comedy series, Awkward Puppets.
Recently set to co-write and produce the Nate Bargatze comedy The Breadwinner for TriStar, Lagana previously served as showrunner on American Vandal at Netflix. He also co-created and showran Zach Stone is Gonna Be Famous for MTV, which launched the career of Bo Burnham.
Two of the executive producers behind the Russo Brothers’ forthcoming Netflix tentpole The Electric State, which premieres on March 14, Andy and Barbara Muschietti also have It: Welcome to Derry coming up in 2025.
Mancuso is repped by WME, Sugar23, and Hansen, Jacobson, Teller; Lagana by Paul Young and UTA. The Muschiettis are with WME and Johnson Shapiro Slewett & Kole.