George Carlin Biopic in Development With ‘Moneyball’ Screenwriter Stan Chervin

Discussion in 'Visual Arts' started by AKA, Oct 1, 2018.

Thread Status:
Not open for further replies.
  1. AKA

    AKA Senior Member Thread Starter

    George Carlin Biopic in Development With ‘Moneyball’ Screenwriter Stan Chervin


    George Carlin Biopic in Development With ‘Moneyball’ Screenwriter Stan Chervin
    By MATT DONNELLY
    [​IMG]
    CREDIT: E. PABLO KOSMICKI/AP/REX/SHUTTER
    A feature-length project about the life and career of legendary comic George Carlin is in the works with the Oscar-nominated “Moneyball” screenwriter Stan Chervin.

    Gail Berman and Joe Earley’s the Jackal Group have secured the comic’s life rights, and tapped Chervin as both writer and producer. Bruce Kaufman and his banner Wood Hollow Pictures and Jerry Hamza, the executor of Carlin’s estate and his former manager, will also produce.

    The untitled project does not yet have a distribution home, but Jackal is mulling several options, including traditional theatrical, streaming, or a possible TV release for the long-form project.

    “We are honored to tell the story of one of the most important and influential comedians of all time, and to do so alongside those who knew him best,” Berman and Earley said. “In addition to shaping comedy and culture for decades, and entertaining generations of audiences, Carlin’s battle to protect free speech continues to impact our daily lives and is as relevant as ever.”

    Carlin was as prolific as he was acidic in his standup, having appeared on “The Tonight Show” over 130 times, recorded 23 comedy albums, filmed 14 HBO comedy specials, and written three New York Times best-sellers. He won a Grammy in 2001 for spoken comedy album, for “Brain Droppings,” and also received the Mark Twain Prize for American Humor. He died in 2008 at age 71.

    “It was wasn’t until after George died, I realized he was a hero. As a performer, George would never ‘sell out,’ and never comprise his beliefs,” Hamza said in a statement.

    One of Carlin’s notable early routines was “Seven Words You Can Never Say on Television,” which is largely credited with forcing a Supreme Court decision on how much regulatory power the federal government would be in policing speech on the radio. Carlin was arrested for disturbing the peace after performing the bit at a 1972 comedy festival in Milwaukee.
     
    Chris from Chicago likes this.
  2. ShockControl

    ShockControl Bon Vivant and Raconteur!

    Location:
    Lotus Land
    Tom Hanks will do a wonderful job as George Carlin.
     
    MRamble, 905, EVOLVIST and 1 other person like this.
  3. Chris DeVoe

    Chris DeVoe RIP Vickie Mapes Williams (aka Equipoise)

    I kind of doubt they'll be able to get a PG-13 rating though.
     
  4. malcolm reynolds

    malcolm reynolds Handsome, Humble, Genius

    Location:
    Oklahoma
    Idris Elba as Carlin?
     
  5. greelywinger

    greelywinger Osmondia

    Location:
    Dayton, Ohio USA
    Give me a documentary any day.



    Darryl
     
  6. Splungeworthy

    Splungeworthy Forum Rezidentura

    Armie Hammer as young Carlin, Louis C.K. as old.
     
  7. drumzNspace

    drumzNspace Forum Resident

    Location:
    New Yuck City
    Daniel Day Lewis? As Carlin?
     
    MRamble and vince like this.
  8. Holerbot6000

    Holerbot6000 Forum Resident

    Location:
    California
    Really doesn't sound good to me. Why not just do a really good documentary and be done with it? I don't want to see Josh Gadd do George Carlin bits - I want to see Carlin. Are the Sam Kinison and David Brenner biopics in the works too? Will someone finally dust off that controversial Frank Gorshin script? Can they still get Fred Travalina to play Frank Gorshin? Is that guilding the lily? Where does it end? Hollywood is officially running on fumes.
     
  9. PaulKTF

    PaulKTF Senior Member

    Location:
    USA
    I think there's an entertaining and interesting story to be told there. Now let's just hope they do his life's story justice...
     
    aficionaudio likes this.
  10. Chris DeVoe

    Chris DeVoe RIP Vickie Mapes Williams (aka Equipoise)

    Sorry, but you're wrong. There are plenty of good, original films out there - but most people don't see them. I try to see several films in the theater every week, and my wife tries to see a film every night - and even then, we miss films we'd like to see.
     
    Chris from Chicago likes this.
  11. Holerbot6000

    Holerbot6000 Forum Resident

    Location:
    California
    Sorry for the sweeping generalization Chris - I still think a George Carlin biopic is a bad idea. Didn't they learn anything from 'Wired'?
     
    Chris DeVoe likes this.
  12. Chris DeVoe

    Chris DeVoe RIP Vickie Mapes Williams (aka Equipoise)

    John Belushi was funny, but he wasn't an epoch defining comedian.

    The Belushi film wasn't about the struggle for free speech, didn't involve a Supreme Court case, and wasn't about someone who set the style of comedy to the present day. If Lenny Bruce is worth making a film about, George Carlin sure is.
     
  13. Holerbot6000

    Holerbot6000 Forum Resident

    Location:
    California
    I'll have to agree to disagree with you on that one but hey, it's all good. :righton:
     
  14. Jason Manley

    Jason Manley Senior Member

    Location:
    O-H-I-O
    LENNY is a terrific biopic. Severely underrated and under-seen. I wish there could be a better film about Belushi but unfortunately I'm not sure there really can be one because the people closest to the material are afraid of another WIRED. Several years ago, another one was announced and then almost immediately went into development hell. Showtime even announced a documentary about him in 2016 and that has yet to materialize.

    Belushi's life is fairly riveting and I frankly love Woodward's book. The film on the other hand was a mess. Biopics are risky business.
     
    genesim likes this.
  15. Another of my favorite entertainers getting the biopic treatment - after what they did to Miles Davis, I approach this with great apprehension.
     
  16. vince

    vince Stan Ricker's son-in-law

    I can't see ANYONE who could be George.....sorry...
     
    Guy Smiley likes this.
  17. George Carlin was the greatest American in most of our lifetimes.

    The problem here is that the memories are still fresh. He hasn't been gone long, which gives us plenty of pause to call BS.

    Maybe in a hundred years from now, like George Washington, or Abraham Lincoln, they could pull this off, as legend becomes greater than reality.

    As of 2018, though, the man is even greater than legend. Go make a film about Paul Bunyan & Babe the Blue Ox. It would be more realistic.
     
  18. genesim

    genesim Forum Resident

    Location:
    St. Louis
    I second Lenny as a biopic done right. Fosse was great at true to life. See Star 80 and All that Jazz.

    If Carlin is half that good I am all in.
     
  19. Spaghettiows

    Spaghettiows Forum Resident

    Location:
    Silver Creek, NY
    I'm not against this, but I would think that a Richard Pryor biopic would be more compelling.
     
  20. Guy Smiley

    Guy Smiley America’s Favorite Game Show Host

    Location:
    Sesame Street
    Since Travalina’s dead I’m gonna say... No.

    I don’t want to see Josh Gad do anything, let alone play Carlin.
     
  21. Guy Smiley

    Guy Smiley America’s Favorite Game Show Host

    Location:
    Sesame Street
    Wish I had that kind of time. And money.
     
  22. Chris DeVoe

    Chris DeVoe RIP Vickie Mapes Williams (aka Equipoise)

    Between MoviePass, AMC A-List, $5 Tuesdays, membership in several art house theaters and knowing which theaters have lower ticket prices in general...she probably spends less seeing a film in the theater every night than most people spend on their cable bill.
     
Thread Status:
Not open for further replies.

Share This Page

molar-endocrine