AFM Hot Project: Jacob Tremblay, Kate McKinnon Join ‘I’m With Stupid’ (Exclusive)

Ego Nwodim and Chabely Ponce are set to star in I’m With Stupid, a high school comedy directed by Hannah Pearl Utt (Cora Bora). Upgrade is handling international sales on the project and will launch it to buyers at the upcoming American Film Market. Written by Carolina Barlow (The Hawk) and Peter Kelly (Big Mouth), the film follows a pair of directionless high school seniors from opposite ends of the social spectrum who are forced to work together to avoid the humiliation of failing senior year. Tremblay (Room, Wonder, Good Boys) plays Noah, a senior with an opinion on everything but no motivation. Ponce (Girl Group) is Hadley, Noah’s wealthy classmate who discovers she may have interests beyond becoming a trophy wife. McKinnon (Barbie, Ghostbusters) will portray Principal Dunlap, the school’s deeply unpopular and increasingly vindictive administrator. Nwodim (Return to You, Hoppers) is Ms. Reed, the students’ unconventional English teacher, who becomes an unlikely ally in their fight to graduate. “I’m thrilled to make a movie that’s this funny but has this much heart, with my dream group of collaborators,” Utt said. Mallory Schwartz (The Morning Show, Cora Bora) and Jen Goyne Blake (Joyland) are producing. Jonathan Kier and Matt Brodlie are executive producing for Upgrade, alongside Christine D’Souza for After Hours, Marc Danon and Kyle Fox for Fox Global Capital and April Shih for Diversity Hire. “There’s a real appetite for smart, unapologetically funny comedies,” said Kier and Brodlie of Upgrade. “Hannah has a terrific ability to find genuine emotion in absurd situations, and with this exceptional ensemble, we believe I’m With Stupid has all the ingredients to become a new generation’s favorite high school comedy.” Production on I’m With Stupid is set for February/March of 2027, with Rich Delia overseeing casting. UTA Film Finance Group and After Hours are co-representing the film for domestic sales.