iO Chicago alums to write, direct “Del & Charna” movie

Red Crown Productions LLC announced it’s developing a biopic about Chicago improvising legends Del Close and Charna Halpern, Del & Charna. Kay Cannon will direct the film, off a script from Rich Talarico and Alex Fendrich. All three are alums…

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Review: “A Futile and Stupid Gesture” on Netflix

All biopics start from a grain of truth, the essential building blocks of the subject, and then weave an imaginative backstory complete with a heartwarming or inspirational narrative arc. A Futile and Stupid Gesture is not that kind of biopic. Certainl…

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There’s a George Carlin biopic in the works

A feature film biopic on comedy legend George Carlin is in the works, with Jerry Hamza, Carlin’s estate executor and former manager, on board as a producer. The Jackal Group (currently producing an animated version of The Addams Family) has acquired the film rights, and have hired Stan Chervin (Moneyball) to write and produce. There’s no […]

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Jerrod Carmichael Is Adapting Dapper Dan’s Memoir for the Big Screen

Jerrod Carmichael just signed on to write and produce a movie about the life of Harlem-based hip-hop fashion icon Dapper Dan, who has styled everyone from Salt-N-Pepa to Jay-Z to, more recently, Conan O’Brien. According to The Hollywood Reporter, Carmichael will adapt Dapper Dan’s upcoming memoir, which is slated to be released next year, for a biopic […]

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David Wain’s Doug Kenney/National Lampoon biopic, Robin Williams documentary both will premiere at 2018 Sundance Film Festival

The Sundance Film Festival has announced its slate of world premieres for January 2018, and among them are two notable new comedy projects. Futile and Stupid Gesture, David Wain’s biopic of Doug Kenney, co-creator of The National Lampoon, as well as the screenwriter of Animal House and Caddyshack, stars Will Forte as Kenney (pictured above […]

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Del Close biopic needs new financing, new Del in lead after Mike Myers drops out

A roast of George Wendt at The Second City over the weekend brought with it some unexpected news about an upcoming movie on the late improv icon Del Close. Various sources reported that the financing for Del needs to be reconfigured, and executive producer and Second City owner Andrew Alexander told the Chicago Sun-Times that […]

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Aaron Sorkin’s Lucille Ball Biopic Starring Cate Blanchett Is Heading to Amazon

Back in 2015 it was reported that Aaron Sorkin had an authorized Lucille Ball biopic in the works with Cate Blanchett attached to star, and now the project has a home at Amazon. According to Deadline, the streaming network has acquired the biopic, titled Lucy and Desi, which will follow Ball’s 20-year marriage to Desi […]

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Mike Myers will portray Del Close in a movie about the legendary improv comedy coach

In an ironic twist, The Second City and its leaders are producing a biopic about the legendary late improv comedy guru, Del Close, who famously had a falling out with Second City over the direction and importance of improv, and bolted to join Charna Halpern in launching improvOlympic. Mike Myers will star as Close in […]

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Mike Myers to Play Improv Guru Del Close in Upcoming Biopic ‘Del’

A Del Close biopic that’s been in development for several years is moving forward with SNL alum Mike Myers. According to The Hollywood Reporter, Myers has signed on to star in a biopic of the legendary Chicago improv coach written by Nick Torokvei called Del, and Betty Thomas (Private Parts) is attached to direct. The […]

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