Kumail Nanjiani, Emily V. Gordon Set ‘Compulsive Liar’ At Amazon MGM

EXCLUSIVE: Amazon MGM Studios has landed Compulsive Liar, a comedy package from Academy Award-nominated The Big Sick writers Emily V. Gordon and Kumail Nanjiani. The Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire and Eternals star is attached to headline with 21 Laps and Gaumont producing.

While details for Compulsive Liar are being kept under wraps, we understand the project is based on the Quebec, Canadian comedy Menteur, which was written by Émile Gaudreault, Éric K. Boulianne, and Sébastien Ravary, directed by Gaudreault, and produced by Film Mytho Inc. Menteur follows Simon who is an inveterate liar. His family and colleagues organize an intervention, which turns into a confrontation and Simon denies everything. The next day, he wakes up in a world where all his lies have come true.

Producers on Compulsive Liar include 21 Laps’ Shawn Levy and Dan Levine, and Gaumont’s (Narcos; Lupin) Nicolas Atlan and Sidonie Dumas. Gordon, Nanjiani, Holly Brown via Gaumont, and Gaudreault will executive produce. Emily Feher is the exec overseeing for 21 Laps. 

In 2024, Gordon launched a production company, Winter Coat, with Nanjiani, and signed a first look deal with Sony Television.

Nanjiani and Gordon received an Academy Award nomination for Best Original Screenplay for Amazon MGM’s The Big Sick, in which Nanjiani starred alongside Holly Hunter, Zoe Kazan and Ray Romano. The duo won Best First Screenplay at the Film Independent Spirit Awards. The Big Sick was also nominated for a Writers Guild Award, a Critics Choice Award and an NAACP Image Award for original screenplay. In addition, The Big Sick received a Best Feature Ensemble nom at the Screen Actors Guild Awards and was nominated for six Critics’ Choice Awards, where it won Best Comedy. The movie was also nominated for a Producers Guild Award and named one of the Top 10 Movies of the Year by the American Film Institute.

Nanjiani recently announced his new stand-up comedy special, landing his first hour in twelve years, his second after Beta Male. His new special, titled Night Thoughts is to debut on Hulu on Dec. 19. Series credits include a recurring role in Hulu’s Only Murders in the Building; Peacock’s Poker Face; Welcome to Chippendales, which earned him an Emmy nomination; Obi-Wan; Little America; Silicon Valley; the upcoming FX series Very Young Frankenstein; and the highly anticipated second season of Fallout for Amazon MGM. On the film side, Nanjiani stars in the new James L. Brooks film, Ella McCay; the forthcoming teen road trip comedy from director Bobby Farrelly, Driver’s Ed; and Dylan Meyer’s upcoming directorial debut for NEON, The Wrong Girls. Previous film credits include The Breadwinner for TriStar Pictures; Migration; Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire; Eternals; The Lovebirds; Stuber; Men in Black: International, Fist Fight; Mike and Dave Need Wedding Dates; The Five-Year Engagement; and Central Intelligence. 

Gordon co-developed, wrote and executive produced Apple TV’s Little America. Each episode of the critically acclaimed anthology series is inspired by true and poignant stories of immigrants in America. The series received a second season order ahead of its debut as well as Spirit Award nominations for Best New Scripted Series and Best Male Performance in a New Scripted Series for both Adam Ali and Conphidance. Gordon was also a producer on the Hulu limited series Welcome to Chippendale’s. As a former couples and family therapist, she is also the author of the funny but genuine self-improvement guide Super You: Release Your Inner Superhero.

Nanjiani and Gordon are repped by UTA, Mosaic and Schreck Rose Dapello Adams Berlin & Dunham. Gaumont is repped by Paradigm.