Robert De Niro’s name has cropped up in a couple of future titles which will be on sale next week at the American Film Market in Santa Monica, and one (at least) is a potentially interesting project.

He’s down to appear in the next directorial effort from Sean Penn, entitled The Comedian. Co-starring Bridesmaids’ Kristen Wiig, the actor will play an aging TV comedian (whose successful career is on the slide), who meets a feisty female (Wiig) when he’s ordered to do community service following an onstage fracas.

Co-written by producer and long-time pal of De Niro and Penn, Art Linson, it sounds like the actor may need to flex some acting muscle he hasn’t exercised for quite a while, although his second feature may not be quite as challenging.

He’s joining John Travolta in survivalist action picture, Killing Season for director Mark Steven Johnson (Daredevil, Ghost Rider). The story has De Niro’s military veteran battling a twisted Serbian soldier (Travolta) surrounded by an Appalachian mountain backdrop. A dubious choice of director (John McTiernan was originally earmarked to helm this) the film was also intended to reteam Travolta with his Face/Off co-star, Nicolas Cage.

It’s probably safe to say Penn’s offering will pick up the plaudits here, but may have been a different story if long-time AWOL McTiernan was still attached.

Via Deadline and Collider.