Happy EndingsalumAdam Pallyis in talks to star in a newJohn Belushibiopic that would co-starIke BarinholtzasDan Aykroyd, whileAubrey Plazais being eyed to play Belushi’s wife, Collider has exclusively learned.
David Frankel(The Devil Wears Prada) will direct the long-gestating project, which was written roughly a decade ago bySteve Conrad(Wonder). When Colliderlast reported on the projectin December, Broadway sensationAlex Brightman(Beetlejuice) had agreed to play Belushi, though it seems the filmmakers required a bigger star to secure proper financing.
Alexandra Milchan(The Wolf of Wall Street)andScott Lambert(The Terror) are producingBelushivia their Emjag Productions banner along with legendary casting directorBonnie Timmermannand Belushi’s widow,Judy BelushiPisano. Aykroyd will serve as an executive producer on the project, while Judy’s son,Luke Pisano, will serve as a co-producer. Milchan and Lambert did not respond to a request for comment, nor did publicists for Pally, Barinholtz and Plaza.
Belushi was a comic force who successfully made the jump fromSaturday Night Liveto the big screen, where his larger-than-life persona served him well in films such asNational Lampoon’s Animal HouseandThe Blues Brothers. Belushifamously died at the age of 33 from a drug overdose at the Chateau Marmont in 1982. The film is expected to follow Belushi at the height of his fame, and tell the story of a man who embodied both the glory and the tragedy of the American dream. Sources say the script also features nearly a dozen celebrities as characters, such asSNLbossLorne Michaels, Belushi’s fellow hard-partying funnymanRobin Williams, and musicians such asKeith RichardsandRick James. Belushi was previously portrayed byMichael Chiklisin a 1989 adaptation of theBob WoodwardbookWiredthat was reportedly boycotted by Belushi’s friends and family.
Pally recently starred inSonic the Hedgehogand Netflix’s wrestling-themed family filmThe Main Event. Back in 2013,Buzzfeednamed Pally its #2 contender to play Belushi, citing the actor’s “devil-may-care attitude.” He’s repped by UTA and 3 Arts Entertainment.
Best known for his starring role onThe Mindy Project, Barinholtz most recently appeared in Blumhouse’sThe Hunt, and he’ll soon be seen inAmy Poehler’s next directorial effortMoxie. He’s represented by UTA and Artists First.
Repped by CAA and MGMT Entertainment, Plaza recently starred in theChild’s Playreboot and will soon be seen in the indie thrillerBlack Bear, which bowed at Sundance earlier this year. She has also wrapped the dramedyBest Sellers, which pairs her with screen legendMichael Caine. Additionally, Plaza is slated to star inHope, a rom-com from the writer of Legally Blonde, and you canclick hereto read more about that Netflix project.
