Many fans of the late “Infinite Jest” author David Foster Wallace were already wary of the upcoming biopic “The End of the Tour,” starring Jason Segel as Wallace and Jesse Eisenberg as Rolling Stone writer David Lipsky.
Add Wallace's family to the list of those not looking forward to the film.
The late author's estate released a statement against the film, which is based on an unpublished 1996 Rolling Stone interview which Lipsky adapted into 2008 book “Although of Course You End Up Becoming Yourself: A Road Trip With David Foster Wallace.”
“The David Foster Wallace Literary Trust, David”s family, and David”s longtime publisher Little, Brown, and Company wish to make it clear that they have no connection with, and neither endorse nor support, ‘The End of the Tour,'” says the statement.
James Ponsoldt (“The Spectacular Now”) is directing the film, which was written by Donald Margulies. James Dahl, Matt DeRoss, David Kanter, Mark C. Manuel and Ted O'Neal are producing.
“This motion picture is loosely based on transcripts from an interview David consented to eighteen years ago for a magazine article about the publication of his novel, ‘Infinite Jest,'” the statement goes on. “That article was never published and David would never have agreed that those saved transcripts could later be repurposed as the basis of a movie.”
“There is no circumstance under with the David Foster Wallace Literary Trust would have consented to the adaptation of this interview into a motion picture,” the statement adds. “We do not consider it an homage.”
“The individuals and companies involved with the production were made keenly aware of the substantive reasons for the Trust”s and family”s objections to this project, yet persisted in capitalizing upon a situation that leaves those closest to David unable to prevent the production,” it continues.
The film recently wrapped shooting in Michigan, and will be distributed by Sony, although no release date has yet been set.