James Ward Byrkit to Direct Aaron Loeb’s Off-Broadway Adaptation ‘Ideation’ (EXCLUSIVE)

By Brent Lang

LOS ANGELES (Variety.com) – Aaron Loeb’s darkly comic one-act play “Ideation” will be turned into a movie, Variety has learned.

The Off-Broadway production centers on a group of corporate consultants who work together on a mysterious and ethically ambiguous project for the government. It premiered in 2016, and went on to become a New York Times Critic’s Pick during its run at 59E59 Theaters.

“In ‘Ideation,’ Mr. Loeb has devised a psychological game, one that’s both amusing and intriguing to play,” the Times review read.

The film will be directed by James Ward Byrkit, who previously helmed and wrote “Coherence” and also penned the script for “Rango.” It will be backed by Rustic Films and Bellanova Films.

Loeb is the recipient of the Will Glickman playwriting award. His plays include “Brown,” “First Person Shooter,” and “Abraham Lincoln’s Big, Gay Dance Party,” which had its Off-Broadway premiere in 2010. In addition to being a playwright, Loeb is also a senior executive in games and recently held the role of president of FoxNext Games.

Rustic Films is a production company formed by David Lawson Jr., Justin Benson, and Aaron Moorhead. Previous credits include “Synchronic,” “The Endless” and “Resolution.” Bellanova Films was founded by Alyssa Byrkit. It previously produced “Coherence.”