Judd Apatow-Produced ‘Bros’ Is First Gay Rom-Com by a Major Studio (Here’s What We Know)

Producer Judd Apatow has a new movie in the works, and it’s a trail-blazer. It’s called Bros, and will be the very first rom-com about gay men ever produced by a major studio. Universal Pictures has described the flick as “a smart, swoon-y and heartfelt comedy about finding sex, love and romance amidst the madness.”

Though Bros won’t be released until Aug. 12, 2022, it’s already generating a ton of buzz. That’s because the film involves a lot of firsts. Billy Eichner, who stars, is also co-writing the script and executive producing. With this film, he will become the first openly gay man to write and star in a major motion picture.

“I honestly can’t believe it…. move over Julia Roberts, there’s a new rom com QUEEN in town!” Eichner tweeted along with a link about the project.

I honestly can’t believe it…. move over Julia Roberts, there’s a new rom com QUEEN in town!

BROS, prod by @JuddApatow and dir by @nicholasstoller hits theaters AUG 12, 2022! (Twitter, we wanted to give you a year to figure out why you already hate it!) https://t.co/Cmh17YM5XH

— billy eichner (@billyeichner) March 5, 2021

Eichner has been open about his struggles a gay man in Hollywood. He’s shared that in 2006, his manager told him to be “less gay.” (We hope he showed that guy the door.) He’s also talked about how seeing gay teen rom-com Love, Simon made him realize what he (and movie lovers everywhere) have been missing: “Straight people go to the movies and literally see themselves all the time,” he said. “It was so unusual to have a connection to what was happening on-screen instead of being a step or two removed.”

Eichner says he’s honored to be part of such a groundbreaking film like Bros, but “it should have been someone else 30 or 40 years ago,” he told Variety. “I hear people talking about diversity and inclusion, but I often see gay people left out of those conversations. The comedy community, which has always been such a straight man’s game, has not been kind to openly gay men, and I still see so much homophobia when it comes to casting.”

Bros will be directed by Brit Nicholas Stoller, the man behind rom-coms like Forgetting Sarah Marshall and The Five Year Engagement and buddy comedies like Get Him to the Greek.

That’s what we know. What we don’t know? Who Eichner’s love interest will be. Rom-com fans and gay movie-lovers will be waiting with bated breath to find out who the lucky man is.

Cover Photo: Getty Images

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