Oh, Hai, Charity: Bob Odenkirk is Starring in 'The Room’ Remake for a Good Cause

Bob Odenkirk has starred in two of the most critically revered series in recent memory: Breaking Bad and Better Call Saul. Perhaps the compliments have become too much, as Odenkirk has agreed to star in a “remake” of one of the worst films ever made: The Room.

According to Deadline, Odenkirk will play the role of tempestuous banker Johnny (originally played by Tommy Wiseau) in a recreation of the 2003 film, which Wiseau also wrote, produced, and directed. The project benefits amfAR, a leading AIDS research organization, which is the likely reason Odenkirk would take the hit on his resume.

The Room has become a curio among cinephiles for its hazy and sometimes baffling dialogue, performances, and plotting. Wiseau was so keen for the film to garner attention that he paid for a billboard spot (at $5000 a month) for five years.

It worked, more or less: While it made just $1900 in theaters, the film developed a cult following. The Disaster Artist, a making-of biopic with James Franco playing Wiseau, was released in 2017.

The Odenkirk version was shot mostly in front of a green screen to replicate the film’s sets and is said to be a full-length feature, not a sketch or short. Charitable organization Acting for a Cause produced the project and has also been behind several Zoom table readings of works like Jane Eyre and Pride and Prejudice. A release date for re-imagined The Room has not yet been announced.

[h/t Deadline]