EXCLUSIVE: Looks like Larry David won’t be returning to the big screen after all.

The comedian’s shrouded-in-mystery feature project, which had been set up at Fox Searchlight earlier this year with an all-star cast that included David, Michael Keaton and Jon Hamm, is in the process of moving to HBO, according to a person familiar with the project who was not authorized to talk about it publicly.

Although deals are not done, the talks are well underway and will probably lead to David debuting the film on the pay-cable network instead of at the multiplex. (HBO got out of the theatrical releasing business a number of years ago.)

David, of course, has had a long relationship with HBO over eight seasons of the (sort-of) art-imitating-life comedy “Curb Your Enthusiasm” (and don’t rule out a ninth).


An HBO spokesperson declined to comment on the David film.

Searchlight was believed to be keen on the project but was not willing to match HBO’s budget ceiling, according to the person familiar with the project.

David has made select forays to the big screen, directing the tepidly received comedy “Sour Grapes” in 1998 and starring in Woody Allen’s “Whatever Works” in 2009. But it’s television where he’s become a household name, as co-creator of"Seinfeld” and then playing an irksome version of himself on “Curb,” which he stewards.

The plot details for the untitled movie have not been revealed by David, who often likes working behind a veil of secrecy, though the movie will have an improvisational style. Greg Mottola (“Superbad”) is directing the comedy with heavy input from David, who conceived of the idea and will also be credited as a writer, producer and actor. David’s “Curb” collaborators Alec Berg, David Mandel and Jeff Schaffer are also writing on the film.


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Show Tracker: Curb Your Enthusiasm


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