Untitled John Belushi Biopic starring Emile Hirsch

[spanky87]

Emile Hirsch to Play John Belushi In Biopic

Emile Hirsch has been cast as John Belsuhi in Steve Conrad’s untitled biopic about the larger-than-life comic actor.

Emjag’s Alexandra Milchan, Bonnie Timmermann, Film 360′s Scott Lambert and Judy Belushi Pisano are producing. Belushi Pisano was the actor’s high school sweetheart and had been his wife for six years at the time of his death in 1982.

Filming will start in New York City in the spring. Hirsch will be 29 when production starts.

Conrad will direct from his own script, adapted from the 2005 biography “Belushi,” written by Belushi Pisano and Tanner Colby.

Belushi’s “Saturday Night Live” castmate and close friend Dan Aykroyd is exec producing.

The film will cover the heights of Belushi’s fame in “The Blues Brothers” as Jake Blues and “Animal House” as John Blutarsky along with being the biggest star on the first four seasons of “Saturday Night Live.” The series, which launched in 1975, included Belushi’s introductions of the Blues Brothers and Samurai Warrior characters along with memorable impressions of Wiliam Shatner, Joe Cocker, Marlon Brando and Elizabeth Taylor.

The film will also cover his unexpected death at age 33 from an overdose of a mixture of cocaine and heroin at the Chateau Marmont in Los Angeles.

Hirsch will next be seen in the miniseries “Bonnie and Clyde” and in “Lone Survivor” opposite Mark Wahlberg. His credits include “Into the Wild,” “Killer Joe” and “Milk.”

Conrad wrote the screenplay for Ben Stiller’s “The Secret Life of Walter Mitty.”

Upcoming Film 360 projects include the untitled Steve Job biography, to be adapted by Aaron Sorkin; “Sesame Street”; and “Good People,” starring James Franco and Kate Hudson and currently in post-production.

source: http://variety.com/2013/film/news/em...ic-1200772304/

[OrlandoEastwood]

Umm...Emile Hirsch as John Belushi?

[Hucksta G]

He'll be great.

[robocop35]

Yes he is a great actor but do we really need another Belushi Biopic I say no.

[ultlife2013]

Awesome casting choice, it could be a great movie.

[cinemaphile]

Emile Hirsch?!?! ummm....no.

also, no we don't need another Belushi biopic.

[Doctor Jack]

Does everyone need a biopic? Why not just release one of Belushi's best movies and include a new feature length documentary on his life? At least then we get quality information, in theory, instead of whatever Hollywood decides to make up.

[thrillmygorilla]

Originally Posted by OrlandoEastwood

Umm...Emile Hirsch as John Belushi?

Originally Posted by cinemaphile

Emile Hirsch?!?! ummm....no.

also, no we don't need another Belushi biopic.

I can see it. Plus he was great in Killer Joe.

[Buscemi]

Hirsch is a great actor and it is nice that he's getting work again after Speed Racer destroyed his career (he didn't get another leading role for three years after it). And he does resemble him (sure, he'll need to put on some weight but their faces are similar).

Also, we need a good Belushi biopic (Michael Chiklis was decent in Wired but the script and direction failed him).

[Sodslaw]

He's going to have to put on a bit of weight but I would prefer it if they just released Wired on blu ray,it didn't even get a DVD release.

[Buscemi]

I didn't realize I was having a conversation with the only people who liked Wired. I shall say no more.

[octagon]

Originally Posted by Buscemi

Also, we need a good Belushi biopic...

Why? Is his story really all that interesting?

I'm sure there's no shortage of entertaining and interesting behind-the-scenes SNL anecdotes but is there really an interesting story that ties them together?

[blonde_devil]

Originally Posted by robocop35

Yes he is a great actor but do we really need another Belushi Biopic I say no.

have to agree - some people have interesting lives and careers but you don't need a movie about them especially this long after his death.

[Yeti4928]

Originally Posted by thrillmygorilla

I can see it. Plus he was great in Killer Joe.

I thought he was pretty bad in Killer Joe.

[spanky87]

Miles Teller offered role of Dan Aykroyd in John Belushi biopic

Miles Teller—the in-demand star of The Spectacular Now, the upcoming Divergent franchise, and this month’s Sundance opener Whiplash—has been offered the role of Dan Aykroyd in the upcoming biopic of John Belushi, EW has confirmed. Emile Hirsch is set to star as the late comedian, with Steve Conrad writing and directing, and Aykroyd on board as executive producer. Teller’s rep says that the actor is going to hold off on making a final decision until he finishes promotional duties for That Awkward Moment, a rom-com with Zac Efron and Michael B. Jordan that opens in U.S. theaters on Jan. 31.

The Hollywood Reporter first revealed that Hirsch broke the casting news on Saturday night at a Sundance party for the Creative Coalition. “A shout-out to Miles Teller!” he reportedly told the room, where Teller was in attendance. “We’re going to be working together soon. He’s playing Dan Aykroyd in the Belushi movie.”

Meanwhile, Sony Pictures Classic snapped up distribution rights to Whiplash for just under $3 million on Friday.

SOURCE

[Adam_ME]

I like Teller, but he doesn't look or sound anything like Aykroyd.

[cinemaphile]

Originally Posted by Adam_ME

I like Teller, but he doesn't look or sound anything like Aykroyd.

That's okay - Hirsch looks nothing like Belushi either

[Thomas Guycott]

Originally Posted by Adam_ME

I like Teller, but he doesn't look or sound anything like Aykroyd.

How about Bill Hader?

[cinemaphile]

Aykroyd should be Taran Killam from the current SNL cast. And maybe Josh Gad as Belushi.

[spanky87]

Ellen Page in Talks to Play John Belushi's Wife Opposite Emile Hirsch

In what would be her first new role since coming out as a lesbian last month, Oscar-nominated actress Ellen Page is in talks to play John Belushi's wife, Judith Jacklin, opposite Emile Hirsch in Steve Conrad's upcoming biopic, TheWrap has learned.

Jacklin was Belushi's loving high school girlfriend who eventually married the comedian and was left devastated by his death. She is now known as Judy Belushi Pisano, who is producing the movie with Emjag's Alexandra Milchan and Bonnie Timmermann, as well as Film 360's Scott Lambert.

Conrad (“The Promotion”) will direct from his own screenplay, which is based on the book “Belushi” by Belushi Pisano and Tanner Colby.

The indie drama will explore Belushi's rise to fame in the late '70s, from “Saturday Night Live” to his starring turns in “Animal House” and “The Blues Brothers.” Belushi died of a fatal drug overdose at age 33 at the Chateau Marmont in Los Angeles.

Dan Aykroyd, one of the movie's main characters who was one of Belushi's best friends and close collaborators, is executive producing the film, which is expected to start production later this year in New York.

“Belushi” is the first new project Page has been linked to since she courageously revealed that she's gay on Valentine's Day. While Page's deal isn't closed, her casting as Hirsch's love interest would send a strong message that Hollywood is confident audiences will believe her as a straight romantic lead, and that an actor's talent is what matters, not their sexuality.

Page's feature career is as strong as it has ever been. She'll soon be seen in Bryan Singer's sequel “X-Men: Days of Future Past,” and her spy movie “Queen & Country” recently snagged a director in Craig Viveiros. 20th Century Fox and Chernin Entertainment are backing the adaptation of Oni Press’ comic book series, which follows a British agent who goes on the run from her own people as she tries to bring down a terrorist on English soil.

Page, who is also set to star alongside Julianne Moore in the gay rights drama “Freeheld” as well as topline Patricia Rozema's indie movie “Into the Forest,” is repped by WME, Vie Entertainment and attorney Kevin Yorn.

SOURCE