Last year Steve James paid tribute to legendary film critic Roger Ebert with the moving documentary Life Itself, but now we’re about to get a look at a slightly different side of the Pulitzer Prize-winning writer. Although everyone knows about his film criticism, not everyone is aware that Ebert also wrote a few screenplays over the course of his career… in particular, screenplays for sexploitation comedies. Ebert struck up a friendship with director Russ Meyer (Faster, Pussycat! Kill! Kill!) in the late ’60s and it led to them collaborating on Beyond the Valley of the Dolls. Now director Michael Winterbottom (The Trip) is about to tell the story of that collaboration with the help of Will Ferrell and Josh Gad. Hit the jump for more details.

According to THR, Josh Gad has signed on to play Roger Ebert in the upcoming film Russ & Roger (originally titled Russ & Roger Go Beyond). He will star opposite Will Ferrell, who is already on board to play Russ Meyer. Michael Winterbottom will direct from a script by Christopher Cluess (Saturday Night Live, The Simpsons).

The movie is described as “a debaucherous comedy centering on two outsiders who defied the Hollywood establishment and made one of the first X-rated films ever released by a major movie studio, having the party of a lifetime in the process.” Winterbottom has directed several comedic biopics over the years including The Look of Love and 24 Hour Party People, so this certainly seems like a good fit for him. Are you looking forward to Russ & Roger?