This is interesting. We’ve reported in the past few months or so that Channing Tatum is very interested in playing the role of daredevil stuntman Evel Knievel in a biopic, but that film, based over at Sony, is failing to get much traction. Now Paramount, and interestingly William Monahan are to set about making their own Knievel movie, and Martin Scorsese could end up directing it.
Monahan and Scorsese last worked together of the brilliant The Departed, and ended up clutching a couple of Oscars as a result, and their Knievel movie would draw from the Sheldon Saltman book Evel Knievel On Tour, which Paramount have also acquired. If the studio manages to get things going, the film will be largely set around Evel’s legendary attempt to jump Snake River Canyon in a rocket.
There’s no official word that Scorsese is officially on board as yet (he’s still finishing up work on Silence with Liam Neeson), but we’re crossing our fingers.
Evel Knievel, who passed away in 2007, is getting a lot of attention recently. A feature documentary, Being Evel, produced by the jackass guys over at Dickhouse, debuted at the London Film Festival, and we really liked it.
More news on the Paramount Evel Knievel biopic as we get it.
