Niche biopics are all the rage right now. For foodies, Hulu is releasing Flamin’ Hot, a film about the, alleged, origins of the Flamin’ Hot Cheeto. Meanwhile, the sneakerheads were treated to Air, starring Ben Affleck and Matt Damon, which chronicled the origins of the Air Jordan brand. Elsewhere, Taran Egerton headed up Tetris, which chronicled the wild journey that brought the smash-hit video game to the United States.
The football world lost an icon in December 2021 when Hall of Famer John Madden passed away. Not only was Madden a Super Bowl-winning coach, but he also helped spawn the equally iconic Madden video game franchise. That franchise will now be the focus of its own biopic.
Will Ferrell Tapped To Play Madden
According to Deadline, a film about the origins of the Madden video game franchise is in the works. The film reportedly “picks up with the legendarily fiery coach after his exit from the NFL, as he teams with Electronic Arts to become the unlikely co-creator of a pioneering video game franchise.” Furthermore, Will Ferrell will star as Madden. It’s a throwback to a time when Ferrell made a string of sports comedies like Talladega Nights: The Ballad of Ricky Bobby, Blades of Glory, and Semi-Pro. However, the film is not expected to be an outright comedy.
Helming the project is director David O. Russell. Known for hits like Anchorman: The Legend of Ron Burgundy, and Silver Linings Playbook, Russell’s star has faded in recent years. Amsterdam has gone down as one of the biggest flops of 2022. Furthermore, and more pressingly, Russell has had multiple accusations of abuse and misconduct leveled at him. The film is set to be written by Cambron Clark, a freelance writer for The Onion and Weekend Update. Madden will be making his featuring debut.
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