Q&A: ‘This Is Us’ creator Dan Fogelman on ‘Life Itself’

NEW YORK (AP) – As “This Is Us” returns for a third season, its creator, Dan Fogelman, is putting out a movie that like his hit NBC series is a glossy, cross-generational tale of destiny and chance encounters.

Fogelman’s “Life Itself” is a multi-pronged tale that spirals out, across generations, from a fatal accident on a New York street. Its starry ensemble includes Oscar Isaac, Olivia Wilde, Antonio Banderas and Mandy Patinkin.

The film will test whether the 39-year-old writer can find the same response on the big screen as he has on the highly rated “This Is Us.”

This image released by Amazon Pictures shows Olivia Wilde, left, and Oscar Isaac in a scene from “Life Itself.” (Jon Pack/Amazon Pictures via AP)

But like his characters, jubilant and catastrophic events tend to happen at once for Fogelman. As he prepared the movie for its premiere and readied “This Is Us,” Fogelman’s house was robbed.

FILE – In this Sept. 13, 2018 file photo, Dan Fogelman arrives at the premiere of “Life Itself” in Los Angeles. The film weaves inter-generational story lines of love and tragedy. (Photo by Willy Sanjuan/Invision/AP, File)

This image released by Amazon Pictures shows Olivia Wilde, left, and Oscar Isaac in a scene from “Life Itself.” (Jon Pack/Amazon Pictures via AP)

FILE – In this Sept. 13, 2018 file photo, Dan Fogelman arrives at the premiere of “Life Itself” in Los Angeles. The film weaves inter-generational story lines of love and tragedy. (Photo by Willy Sanjuan/Invision/AP, File)