Richardson-raised filmmaker David Gordon Green, who has flown mostly under the mainstream movie fan’s radar while helming some quality films in recent years (“George Washington,” “All The Real Girls,” “Undertow“), has the chance to reach a new level of recognition with “Pineapple Express,” currently slated to hit theaters in late summer 2008.

Somewhat obscure film site The Reeler did an article in September on Green’s involvement with the film, which is the latest project from the collective that brought you such intellectual fare as “Knocked Up” and “Superbad“. Despite the more impressionistic style on display in his earlier work, Green told The Reeler that he enjoyed working on this type of movie with producer Judd Apatow (the man responsible for the aforementioned megahits):

“I like putting people together and having a good time,” he said. “I think it’s one of the reasons we clicked. (Apatow) is a wonderful producer and kind of father figure.”

Internet-posted reviews from early test screenings of “Pineapple Express” have been mostly positive, so it’ll be interesting to see if the film can do as well as its predecessors. Meanwhile, Green has a much darker film, Snow Angels, slated for limited release in early March.