One of the most beloved routinesfrom Jimmy Fallons Tonight Showreign is about to get its own television show: Lip Sync Battle, based on those ridiculous competitionsthat pit the late night host up against celebrities to see who can pantomime pop songs better, will head to Spike TV in 2015. Fallon and actors John Krasinski and Stephen Merchant, a pair of lip sync vets, will executive produce the show as well as appear and perform on occasion.
The lip sync battle was a game that Merchant created with Krasinski and his wife Emily Blunt. Krasinski first battledFallon back whenthe host was still on Late Night, butthe competition really hit its stride when thehost had an epic faceoffagainst both Joseph Gordon-Levitt and Merchant. The gag made its Tonight Show debut witha boutversus Paul Rudd,whichwasfollowed by Emma Stone busting out Blues Travelers Hook and DJ Khaleds All I Do Is Win.Most recently, Fallon was challenged by The Voice judges Gwen Stefani and Blake Shelton.
Lip sync battling is one of the coolest things happening in pop culture right now and already has a huge fan base thanks to the amazing talent involved, Viacom Entertainment Group exec Casey Patterson said in a statement to the Hollywood Reporter. Were thrilled to be in business with producers as talented as Jimmy, John and Stephen as Spike broadens its programming in new and exciting ways.
Former SNL director Beth McCarthy-Miller will direct Lip Sync Battle. The pilot episode will film in front of a live audience in New York this coming January, with the Spike premiere penciled in for April 2, 2015. Lip Sync Battles fulltime host and participating talent will be announced later, the Hollywood Reporter writes.