New Line Cinema has acquired the rights to make a Chris Farley biopic, to be directed by Josh Gad in his directorial debut. The film will chronicle Farley's life from his childhood in Wisconsin to his rise on Saturday Night Live in New York City and his burgeoning movie career, culminating in his death at 33 from a drug overdose.
Josh Gad, a fan of Farley, shared that the film will be based on the book The Chris Farley Show: A Biography in Three Acts, written by Farley's brother Tom Farley Jr. and Tanner Colby. Paul Walter Hauser is set to star as Chris Farley. Scott Neustadter and Michael H. Weber will write the screenplay, with Lorne Michaels producing under his Broadway Video banner.
The biopic aims to capture Farley's universal humor and emotional depth, highlighting his personal struggles and relationships. Chris Farley passed away in December 1997 due to an accidental overdose. The project is in its early stages, and no release date has been announced.