Morgan Spurlock to direct One Direction 3D concert documentary

Will Perkins
·Blogger

Is there a more unlikely pairing than moustachioed "Super Size Me" director Morgan Spurlock and squeaky-clean British pop group One Direction? Probably not. And yet the famed documentarian and the boy band are set to collaborate on an upcoming 3D concert film featuring the "What Makes You Beautiful" singers. Yes, this is really happening.

Thanks to the box office success of concert movies like "Michael Jackson's This Is It," "Justin Bieber: Never Say Never," and "Katy Perry: Part of Me," it seemed like it was only a matter of time before the Brit pop sensations got their own concert flick. Sony Pictures made the official announcement today that it has hired doc maker Spurlock to helm the One Direction film.

"This is an incredible opportunity and an amazing moment in time for the band," said Spurlock in Sony's official press release. "To capture this journey and share it with audiences around the world will be an epic undertaking that I am proud to be a part of."

See also: Homemade 'Iron Man 3' trailer gets the point across (VIDEO)

The 3D concert film will be a first for Spurlock, whose previous documentaries have mostly been comedic investigative outings. The director is probably best known for his 2003 exposé "Super Size Me," in which he consumed only McDonald's for one month to see if it would have any deleterious effects on his health (much to the chagrin of his vegan girlfriend). The fast food film earned Spurlock an Academy Award nomination for Best Documentary Feature. He followed that up with "Where in the World is Osama bin Laden?," a globetrotting journey in which Spurlock attempted (and failed) to track down September 11 mastermind Osama bin Laden. Spurlock has also examined issues like media product placement in "The Greatest Movie Ever Sold" and fan culture in "Comic-Con Episode IV: A Fan's Hope."

In light of Spurlock's previous work, he might still seem an unlikely choice for the One Direction concert movie, but it wouldn't be the first time that a notable director has taken a stab at the concert film genre. In the hands of the right filmmaker, even a 3D concert film about a popular recording artist can be much more than just a promotional tie-in. Just ask "Never Say Never" director Jon M. Chu ("G.I. Joe Retaliation"), whose Bieber concert doc was surprisingly well received. Granted, we're not expecting Spurlock to come up with a groundbreaking portrait of One Direction in the vein Martin Scorsese's raw concert doc "The Last Waltz" or anything. But still, given his trademark sense of humour, expect the boy band movie to at least be funny experience. Spurlock is also an avid fan of heavy metal band Metallica, so it's safe to say that One Direction probably isn't on his regular playlist.

See also: 'Star Wars Episode IV': What went wrong?

Spurlock will direct the movie, and is producing alongside former "American Idol" judge Simon Cowell, who discovered One Direction on the British version of his show "The X Factor."

Would you go see a One Direction 3D concert movie? Do you think Spurlock is a good choice to direct it?