Date: 30th May 2023

Will Ferrell In Talks To Play John Madden In Biopic.


Will Ferrell is the frontrunner to play late NFL coach, television broadcaster, and video game pioneer John Madden in a new film from David O. Russell.

The controversial five-time Oscar nominee David O. Russell will helm the project, based on a Black List script by Cambron Clark with rewrites from Russell. The story will follow the story of football legend John Madden.

While Madden rose to fame with his work on the field, Madden will primarily focus on the period of time when he left the NFL to team up with Electronic Arts to pioneer one of video game history's most successful and enduring franchises. He first lent his name and voice to the Madden video game series in 1988, and the franchise endures to this day with Madden NFL 23 getting released last year.

"A Prime Video Sports Original, Madden tells the story of one of the larger-than-life personalities to grace an NFL sideline. All Madden ever wanted was to be a head coach and he was one of the best ever," reads the logline for the film. "After winning the Super Bowl, the stress of the job began to destroy him. It forced him away from his dream job, and the film focuses on his friendship with Oakland Raiders owner Al Davis, and how Madden found a second act that made him far more famous."

Ferrell can be seen in a couple of upcoming comedies this summer. His voice will be featured in a rated-R version of a talking dog movie called Strays which co-stars Jamie Foxx, and he will also be seen in a supporting role in the Greta Gerwig big-screen adaptation of Barbie.

Ferrell rarely ventures into dramatic territory, but when he does, it’s to great acclaim with movies like Everything Must Go and Stranger Than Fiction. With the project being headed up by David O. Russell, it’s likely the film will sport equal comedic and dramatic elements. Russell recently directed an all-star cast that included Christian Bale, John David Washington and Margot Robbie in Amsterdam. The film was not well received and flopped at the box office.

Source: Press Release


 

 

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