Steve Coogan (star of Alan Partridge and Philomena) has signed on for a British stage adaptation of Kubrick’s seminal nuclear war satire Dr. Strangelove or: How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love the Bomb.

Coogan set to play multiple roles, as Sellers did in the 1964 feature film, for which he earned Best Actor Oscar nomination.

Director Armando Iannucci (Veep and Death of Stalin) is adapting Kubrick’s film for the stage together with Sean Foley. Foley, who has had West End success with such adaptations as The Painkiller starring Kenneth Branagh and Ben Elton’s The Upstart Crow, will also direct the play, which is set to premiere at London’s Noel Coward Theatre on Oct. 8, 2024.

Iannucci confirmed the news on his own account, saying he “can’t wait to get started” on the adaptation. “We’re all hoping to send people home with a smile and a scream.”

Sellers played three radically different roles in Dr. Strangelove: the unflappable group Captain Lionel Mandrake, the befuddled U.S. President Merkin Muffley, and the wheelchair-bound German rocket scientist Dr. Strangelove. He was set to take on a fourth role, that of cowboy bomber pilot Major ‘King’ Kong, before the more culturally-appropriate Slim Pickens was eventually cast. Sellers picked up an Oscar nomination for his triple-threat performance.

The stage version of Dr. Strangelove, the first-ever adaptation of a Kubrick film, is being produced by Patrick Myles and David Luff.

It is in association with Tulchin Bartner Productions and Playful Productions. Jonathan Cameron is the executive producer for the Stanley Kubrick Estate. The film, about a rogue U.S. general who triggers nuclear armageddon, is considered a masterpiece of comedy and dark satire.

“The idea of putting Dr Strangelove on stage is daunting, a huge responsibility,” Coogan said in a statement. “It’s also an exciting challenge, an opportunity to bring this timeless classic to a new audience. Knowing that I will be part of a creative team led by Sean Foley and Armando Iannucci means I will be working with the best people. Sean is a master of stage comedy and Armando and I started working with each other over 30 years ago. We made some memorable comedy together so it’s great to be collaborating with him once again.”