Variety is reporting that director Michael Winterbottom (9 Songs, The Emperor’s New Clothes) is in talks to direct Russ and Roger Go Beyond.
Will Ferrell (Get Hard) is set to play famed director Russ Meyer in the film, which is based on the true story about how softcore porn maestro Russ Meyer teamed with Roger Ebert on Beyond the Valley of the Dolls – the first X-rated film to be released by a studio. Early word had Josh Gad (Frozen) rumoured to be up for the part of the late Ebert, but those rumours have yet to come to fruition.
The film is being produced by Mark Amin’s Sobini Films, David Permut and Richard Waltzer, with a script by Emmy-winning writer Christopher Cluess (The Simpsons). Bob Simonds’ STX Entertainment will finance and distribute the pic, which is set to go into production later this year.
Winterbottom’s latest film, the documentary The Emperor’s New Clothes with Russell Brand, is in UK cinemas today.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?list=PL18yMRIfoszFLSgML6ddazw180SXMvMz5&v=pnc360pUDRI&feature=player_embedded
Originally published April 24, 2015. Updated April 14, 2018.
