Diablo Cody to make her directorial debut with the comedy Lamb of God

Last Updated on August 5, 2021

News on the Diablo Cody (JENNIFER’S BODY) front has been quiet for the past year. Last we heard, the Oscar-winning screenwriter was going to be re-teaming with her JUNO director Jason Reitman for a film called YOUNG ADULT, starring Charlize Theron, Patrick Wilson, and Patton Oswalt. Now, it seems Cody will be making that inevitable leap into the director’s chair with the comedy LAMB OF GOD.

Written by Cody, the religiously-themed comedy “follows a young conservative religious woman who loses her faith after a plane crash, decides to go to Las Vegas to live the life of a sinner, and on her journey finds her way back to her faith.”

Cody herself via her Tumblr adds, “It’s about a woman who survives a plane crash and loses her faith in everything. (Comedy gold!) Seriously though, it’s not the cynicism-fest implied by the log line. It’s a nice Christmas story.”

The full press-release:

Mandate Pictures has acquired an original screenplay by Diablo Cody, LAMB OF GOD, which will mark her feature directorial debut. Mason Novick (500 DAYS OF SUMMER) will produce. Mandate president Nathan Kahane will executive produce alongside Diablo Cody. Mandate has the project on the fast track and will begin casting right away.

The comedy follows a young conservative religious woman who loses her faith after a plane crash, decides to go to Las Vegas to live the life of a sinner, and on her journey finds her way back to her faith.

Kahane said, “Having been in the trenches with Diablo and Mason on JUNO and YOUNG ADULT, we immediately jumped at the opportunity to partner with them again. It’s an honor to be a part of Diablo’s transition as a director.”

LAMB OF GOD marks the third collaboration with Cody, Novick and Mandate after their successful partnerships on JUNO and YOUNG ADULT, which will be released by Paramount Pictures. JUNO, directed by Reitman and written by Cody, garnered a host of accolades, including an Academy Award® for Best Original Screenplay (Diablo Cody) and three Academy Award® nominations for Best Motion Picture (Lianne Halfon, Mason Novick and Russell Smith, Producers), Best Actress, and Best Director. The $227 million box-office and critical sensation was released by Fox Searchlight in late 2007.

Diablo Cody is represented by Sarah Self at WME and attorney Jeff Frankel of McKuin Frankel Whitehead LLP. Dan Freedman, SVP of Business & Legal Affairs, and Allison Strina, VP of Business & Legal Affairs, negotiated the deals for Mandate.