Rhys Darby, Tre Hale, Baron Vaughn & Vivian Bang To Topline Brent Bishop Dramedy ‘Song Of The Bigfoot’

EXCLUSIVE: Tre Hale (Platonic), Baron Vaughn (Grace and Frankie), Vivian Bang (White Rabbit) and Rhys Darby (Our Flag Means Death) have wrapped in Oregon on Song of the Bigfoot, an indie dramedy written and directed by Brent Bishop, in his feature debut, in which they play lead roles.

Others in the cast include Brenda Strong (Desperate Housewives) and newcomer Emily McEnroe (Ryan Murphy’s Monsters).

More from Deadline

The film is described as an uplifting tale about three lovably quirky Bigfoot seekers (Hale, Vaughn & Bang) who become desperately lost in the wilderness and are thrust into a life-and-death ordeal. They soon realize they’ve also been lost in life, and must not only save themselves, but commit to a life worth saving. Clinging to the wisdom of their Bigfoot Society’s eccentric, long-lost founder (Darby), and the guidance of its current matriarch (Strong), the trio wrestle with past traumas, personal demons, and lost loves (McEnroe) to find their way home and rediscover the song in their hearts.

Pic’s producers include Sutton McKee, Alexis Cohen, Jacqueline Gault, and Bishop for Sparkle Whale Productions. Bishop also penned the score.

In a statement to Deadline, Bishop explained, “This idea first came to me at a time of absolute global tumult — the pandemic, the 2020 election, social upheaval, supply shortages and more. It was shocking. Suddenly the idea of someone choosing to believe in Bigfoot, this embodiment of the Unknown which actually inspires joy, seemed reasonable.”

His idea, he said, “became a story about Seekers—not just for Bigfoot, but in life. It all came together with an amazing cast, a brilliant crew, and the gorgeous Oregon wilderness to create this film about hope and togetherness in the face of crisis. We can’t wait to share it with the world.”

Recently seen on series including All American and Platonic, Hale’s film credits include The Real Bros of Simi Valley: The Movie, National Champions, and Love and Monsters.

Part of the core cast of Netflix’s acclaimed comedy Grace and Frankie, Vaughn has also been seen on shows like Superstore, Corporate, and Comedy Bang! Bang!. Additionally, he appears in the Rita Moreno thriller The Prank and other films.

In addition to the popular Netflix rom-com Always Be My Maybe and the Jim Carrey starrer Yes Man, Bang has appeared on Mr. Iglesias, Room 104, and many other series. She also co-wrote, produced and starred in the dramedy White Rabbit, which premiered at Sundance in 2018.

A frequent collaborator of Taika Waititi’s known for starring in HBO’s Flight of the Conchords and Max’s recent pirate comedy Our Flag Means Death, Darby’s big-screen credits include Yes Man, What We Do in the Shadows, Hunt for the Wilderpeople, multiple Jumanji films, Next Goal Wins and more.

Hale is represented by Clear Talent Group, Crimson Media, and Hansen, Jacobson, Teller; Vaughn by CAA, Artists First, and Schreck Rose Dapello; Bang by Framework Entertainment; Darby by UTA, Karen Kay Management in New Zealand, Artists First, and Yorn, Levine, Barnes; Strong by SDB Partners and Liberman-Zerman Management; and McEnroe by Singular Talent and Management Production Entertainment.

Best of Deadline

Sign up for Deadline's Newsletter. For the latest news, follow us on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.