Jon Stewart to Direct Serious Film, Will Take Hiatus From ‘Daily Show’

LOS ANGELES â€" Jon Stewart, serious movie director

The stand-up satirist and “Daily Show” host on Tuesday said he would direct his first film, a drama called “Rosewater,” from a screenplay that he wrote. The movie - which will require a 12-week absence from his “Daily Show” duties â€" is an adaptation of the 2011 book “And Then They Came For Me: A Family’s Story of Love, Captivity and Survival” by Maziar Bahari and Aimee Molloy.

Scott Rudin, the Hyatt heiress Gigi Pritzker and Mr. Stewart will produce “Rosewater,” which is expected to start shooting overseas in June. While Mr. Stewart is off making his directing debut, John Oliver, a “Daily Show” regular, will guest host.

“I am a television person who is accustomed to having a thought at 10 a.m. and having it out there at 6:30 p.m. and moving on, so this is a little scary, yes,” Mr. Stewart said by telephone.

“But one of the reasons we are in this business is to challenge ourselves,” he continued,“and I really connected to Maziar’s story. It’s a personal story but one with universal appeal about what it means to be free.”

Mr. Bahari’s ordeal is familiar to “Daily Show” fans - in fact, the comedy program played a role in it.

A Canadian-Iranian journalist and documentarian, Mr. Bahari was jailed in Tehran in 2009 for four months, standing accused of plotting to stage a revolution against the government. Shortly before his arrest, Mr. Bahari had participated in a “Daily Show” sketch, conducted by one of the show’s correspondents, Jason Jones, who was pretending to be a spy. Mr. Bahari’s captors used the footage against him.

“You can imagine how upset we were,” Mr. Stewart said, “and I struck up a friendship with him afterwards.”

Mr. Stewart said he eventually read Mr. Bahari’s book and “because I’m naïve about the movie business” started to think about a film. He said he did not intend to also adapt the ! screenplay. “It just kind of happened,” he said.

Mr. Stewart said he asked Mr. Rudin to look at a draft of the screenplay as a favor, and offer suggestions. “He did, and he had some invaluable advice, and before long it seemed like we had something,” Mr. Stewart said.

Ms. Pritzker, whose Odd Lot Entertainment is an expanding presence in Hollywood, will finance the film in addition to serving as a producer. (Rich Klubeck of United Talent Agency brought the partners together.)

Mr. Stewart hosted the Oscars in 2008, the same year that Mr. Rudin won an Oscar for producing “No Country for Old Men.” Perhaps the comedian will now return as a nominee for a serious drama

“Oh, yes, because that is a great expectation to put on a first-time director,” Mr. Stewart said in response to the question.

He also added that “Rosewater,” while serious, will have more humorous moments than people might think.

“One of the things that appealed to me about the story is that t does have lighter moments,” Mr. Stewart said. “One of the things that kept Maziar alive was his ability to keep his sense of humor - to remember about joy and laughter - and see the absurdity of his situation.”