A Chris Farley Biopic Is Coming, And The Lead Actor Has Wanted This Part For Ages
Here's a lesson for the kids out there: speak your dreams into existence and maybe, just maybe, they'll actually come true. Tragically, those who follow the comedy scene closely know that it's littered with high-profile examples of beloved talent who ended up burning out and leaving us far too soon. This one, however, might end up circling back to the best of silver linings.
Today's news has to do with Chris Farley, the late, great "Saturday Night Live" actor and comedian (among many, many other memorable appearances) who passed away at the age of 33 back in 1997. He may not be as well-known a quantity among younger generations, but their older siblings and parents can certainly fill them in on the prolific, scene-stealing theatrics of the man who rose to prominence through "SNL" and subsequently made audiences cry with laughter in movies such as "Wayne's World" and its sequel, "Coneheads," "Airheads," and even an uncredited role in Adam Sandler's "Billy Madison." The awful circumstances surrounding his death by drug overdose have long been rumored to result in a biopic dedicated to the legendary performer, and it now seems to be coming together with a pitch-perfect actor.
Deadline has reported that a screenplay based on the book "The Chris Farley Show: A Biography In Three Acts" by authors Tom Farley, Jr. (Chris' brother) and Tanner Colby is currently being shopped around, and character actor Paul Walter Hauser ("Richard Jewell," "I, Tonya," "Cobra Kai"), who we previously noted has been gunning for a project like this, is attached to the lead role. But that's not even the biggest name reportedly involved in this production. Read on for all the details!
Paul Walter Hauser and Josh Gad circle the Chris Farley biopic
Consider this one of the hottest tickets in town. Not only is Paul Walter Hauser set to portray the famous and exceedingly well-liked giant of comedy Chris Farley, but the Deadline report also added that the filmmaker tapped for the project will be none other than actor Josh Gad in his directorial debut, while "SNL" creator and producer Lorne Michaels (who, of course, played a significant role in Farley's discovery and ascension to "SNL" in the first place) will serve as producer. The script has been written by the duo of Scott Neustadter and Michael H. Weber, who are known for their work on "The Disaster Artist," "Paper Towns," "The Fault in Our Stars," and, of course, "500 Days of Summer."
For those who might be worried that a biopic might be in bad taste, Deadline cited "insiders" who noted that the Farley family has given their blessing to the adaptation. This shouldn't be much of a surprise, given that Farley's brother Tom Farley, Jr. co-authored the original biography, which is commonly considered to be the definitive celebration of a life cut short before his time. There's no word on an official title for this biopic, a start date for production, or even a release date, but those details will surely fall into place once this script finds a home among the various studios bidding for the rights. We'll keep a close eye on this as it develops.