Madelyn Cline is set for a potential new big-screen collaboration as she enters advanced talks to headline a major studio comedy opposite Glen Powell. The untitled feature, being developed at Universal, will be directed by Judd Apatow and marks an original project co-written by Apatow and Powell.

According to a UNI report, the film is positioned as a theatrical release scheduled for February 5, 2027, and will see Cristin Milioti also joining the cast. The story centres on Powell as a country-western music star whose professional success masks a personal life that is rapidly unravelling, setting the stage for a character-driven comedy drama.

Apatow will produce the film through Apatow Productions under his long-standing overall deal with Universal. Powell and Dan Cohen are on board as producers via Barnstorm’s first-look deal, while Kevin Misher will produce through Misher Films. Oversight on behalf of the studio will be handled by Universal’s Senior EVP of Production Development Erik Baiers and Director of Production Development Jacqueline Garell.

In the film, Cline is expected to play a pop star. Industry sources indicate that Apatow and studio executives initially considered casting a real-life pop artist for the role, before widening the search in recent weeks. Cline’s most recent meeting reportedly impressed the creative and studio teams, leading to an offer being made.

Cline’s profile has risen sharply following her breakout role in Netflix’s hit series Outer Banks. The show’s fourth season returned in the fall, debuted at number one, and remained in Netflix’s Top 10 for over seven weeks. She is set to reprise her role once more in the fifth and final season, slated to premiere in 2026.

Her recent film work includes Sony’s reimagining of ‘I Know What You Did Last Summer’ and Amazon’s romantic drama ‘The Map That Leads to You’, which debuted at number one on Prime Video. Up next, Cline will be seen alongside Johnny Depp and Penélope Cruz in Lionsgate’s Day Drinker, directed by Marc Webb, further underlining her growing presence across major studio projects.