Gervais to write, direct and star alongside Eric Bana; Protagonist to sell.

Ricky Gervais is set to star alongside Eric Bana in New York-based satirical comedy Special Correspondents, which Gervais has also written and will direct.

Protagonist, which handles international rights, will be shopping the film at the AFM.

Bana will play a struggling New York-based radio journalist whose arrogance and decadent lifestyle has hindered his career.

With his job on the line he fakes front line war reports from the comfort of his hideout above a Spanish restaurant in the heart of Manhattan.

Gervais will play Bana’s radio technician side-kick.

The film, scheduled to commence principal photography in Vancouver and NYC in the spring of 2015, is a co-production between Bron Studios and Unanimous Entertainment in association with Creative Wealth Media Finance. 

Unanimous’ Chris Coen, Bron’s Aaron L. Gilbert, and Manuel Munz will produce.

Creative Wealth’s Jason Cloth and Larry Sanisky are executive producers.

WME, which reps Bana and Gervais (the latter jointly with United Agents), handles domestic rights.