Jack Black and Tim Robbins have signed on to star in an HBO dark comedy pilot called The Brink.
HBO put in a pilot order for the project in September, notes The Hollywood Reporter. It comes from Jerry Weintraub, Jay Roach and Roberto Benabib and centers on a geopolitical crisis that has an effect on three desperate men. Robbins will play Secretary of State Walter Hollander, who has big appetites and no patience for war hawks, while Black was cast as Alex Coppins, a foreign service officer who was somehow caught in the scandal.
The network is still on the lookout for an actor to play pilot Zeke Callahan.
Benabib, a Weeds veteran, co-wrote the script with his brother, Kim Benabib. According to Variety, Game Change director Roach has been tapped to direct.
Robbins and Black have worked together before, since Black appeared in Robbins’ 1996 directing effort Dead Man Walking. Robbins also appeared in Tenacious D in the Pick of Destiny with Black. The Oscar-winning Robbins was recently seen in Thanks For Sharing and is working on his next directing effort, Man Under.
As for Black, he began his career on TV before jumping into features. Among his next films is Sex Tape with Jason Segel and Cameron Diaz.
image: Photo by Frazer Harrison/Getty Images For Relativity Media/image.net