Aziz Ansari is on amission to bring big comedies back to theaters, starting withGood Fortune.Good Fortuneis Ansari’s directorial debut, and he also wrote the script for the film Fortunately for Ansari, he assembled a star-studded cast, including, Keanu Reeves, Seth Rogen, and Keke Palmer, alongside himself, to help make his goal a reality. While not much is known about the film, it’s a high-concept comedy in whichKeanu Reeves plays a guardian angeltrying to show Ansari’s down-on-his-luck character that his life is worth living — by body-swapping him with Rogen’s wealthy tech-bro.
Ansari has been building towards helming a feature for many years. The comedian andParks and Recreationstar previously directed 11 episodes of his acclaimed Netflix series,Master of None, which ran for three seasons. In 2022, he was set to direct the FOX Searchlight filmBeing Mortal. However,Being Mortal’s production was suspended after just two weekswhen a crew member filed a complaint against actor Bill Murray for alleged sexual harassment. WhileBeing Mortalremains in limbo,Ansari quickly pivoted toGood Fortune,bringing over Rogen and Palmer, who were also part of theBeing Mortalcast.
Good Fortune Latest News
Keanu Reeves Was Injured On Set And The Trailer Earned Raves At CinemaCon
In January of 2024, set photos of Keanu Reeves using crutches and an ice pack on his knees went viral. At the time, It wasn’t clear if Reeves was actually injured or if it was part of his character in the film. However, when Aziz presentedGood Fortuneto theater owners during CinemaCon, he cleared up what happened and explained thatReeves had injured himself in his trailer between shooting scenes.Later appeared onThe Late Night Show with Stephen Colbertover the summer,Reeves provided more details about hisGood Fortuneinjury:
I was filming a scene with Aziz Ansari and Seth Rogen and we were in a cold plunge. I was loving it, I was standing there, and we finish the scene, and you know when you’re cold and you’re [shuffling]? I had a bathing suit and a towel, and you put it over your head and you do the cold shuffle?
I’m doing the cold shuffle in this room that had protective carpets down and then, just here, there was like a little pocket, and my foot got caught in the pocket in the shuffle, and then I went [down], but [my knee] didn’t follow. And then, in slow motion, I went falling. My arms came out, but then my knee failed because it’s got some stuff, and I spiked it. And my patella — kneecap — cracked like a potato chip. Comedy’s hard, man
While a trailer has yet to be released, Aziz showed clips fromGood Fortuneat CincemCon in April 2024. According toTHRwho was in attendance,“the footage he debuted ofGood Fortunecouldn’t have landed any better than it did.” Lionsgate President Adam Fogelson, whose studio is releasing the film, raved about working with Aziz during the presentation, stating, “This movie is entirely unique.” He also compared the film toTrading Places, the classic 1983 comedy where Eddie Murphy and Dan Ackroyd swap lives.
Aziz Ansari’s Good Fortune Release Date
The Film Arrives In The Fall of 2025
Lionsgate announced thatGood Fortunehas been given an official release dateof August 23, 2025.The movie is expected to receive a wide release due to its star-studded cast and commercial premise. The only other film currently scheduled for that date is Blumhouse’sThe Black Phone 2.
Other notable October 2025 releases competing withGood Fortuneinclude Joachim Rønning’sTron: Ares,Derek Cianfrance’sRoofman, and Antoine Fuqua’sMicheal,a biopic about the King of Pop, Michael Jackson. Notably, no other comedies are slated for release that month. Lionsgate must haveconfidence in the film if they began promoting it at CinemaCon more than a year in advance.
Good Fortune Cast
Aziz Ansari Cast Himself Alongside Seth Rogen, Keanu Reeves, Keke Palmer, Sandra Oh
When the project was first announced in April 2023, Seth Rogen and Keanu Reeves were already attached. 11 months later, Keke Palmer was confirmed to be part of the cast as Aziz’s love interest in the film. Other notable cast members include Sandra Oh andDune’s Stephen McKinley Henderson, who are rumored to portray angels alongside Reeves.
Parks and Recreation, Master of None
Good Fortune Story Details
The Heavenly Comedy Has Elements ofTrading Placesand Warren Beatty’sHeaven Can Wait
While the film was shrouded in mystery during production,Aziz Ansari revealed much of the setup during his appearance at CinemaCon. The film is a celestial comedy, reminiscent of Warren Beatty’sHeaven Can Wait, John Travolta’s 1996 hitMichael,and Robert Downey Jr.‘sHeart and Souls, mixed with class comedies like Eddie Murphy’s comedyTrading Places.
Seth Rogen’s Apocalyptic Comedy With 82% RT Score Climbing Streaming Charts 11 Years Later
Seth Rogen’s apocalyptic comedy, which he both acted in and produced, has now made its way onto a key streaming chart years after its release.
Keanu Reeves stars as Gabriel, a guardian angel whose primary job is saving people from texting and other car accidents. Gabriel becomes invested in helping a down-on-his-luck gig worker (played by Ansari) who is struggling after being fired by a wealthy, tech-bro named Jeff (Seth Rogen). To show Ansari’s character that wealth isn’t the solution to his problems,Gabriel swaps his life with Jeff’s.
However, when Ansari actually loves his new life and refuses to switch back, Gabriel loses his wings and becomes human, ending up as roommates with the now penniless Jeff. The two team up to get Ansari to switch back his life with Jeff.
Aziz Ansari Wants Comedy Films To Be Big Box Office Successes Again
The Comedy Genre Has Not Been As Popular At The Box Office In Recent Years
Comedies have struggled to find success in theaters since the pandemic. While some franchise films with comedic elements have done well recently — such asDeadpool and Wolverine,Beetlejuice Beetlejuice,Bad Boys: Ride or Die, and, if you count family films, John Krasinksi’sIF, 2024 saw no major breakout hits that were purely comedies.
At CinemcaCon, Ansari addressed this concern, explainingit was part of what inspired him to makeGood Fortune.Speaking to the theater owners and press in attendance, he said (viaTHR):
I have been doing some work that was more dramatic recently. I wanted to do a comedy and I wanted it to be in theaters. I don’t buy into this theory that theatrical comedies are not a thing.”
Hopefully, Ansari will be proven right whenGood Fortuneis released on August 06, 2025.
Good Fortune
Cast
An overly helpful but inept angel named Gabriel intervenes in the lives of a gig worker facing hardship and a wealthy capitalist. Despite good intentions, his actions cause unforeseen turmoil for both. As his meddling unfolds, their contrasting lives are thrown into disarray, revealing that the grass isn’t always greener on the other side.
