Will Ferrell is set to take on the role of NFL legend John Madden in an upcoming film based on the director’s player, coach and commentator David O. Russell.
What will John Madden’s film be about?
According to a recent report from Deadline, Ferrell will star in the film, which comes from the five-time Oscar-nominated director. The film, titled madwill be for Amazon/MGM, with Russell having worked on Cambron Clark’s screenplay rewrite for a while before the writer’s strike halted work on various Hollywood projects.
Madden will be executive produced by Escape Artists’ Todd Black, Jonathan Shukat, Jason Blumenthal and Steve Tisch, the latter of whom is co-owner of the NFL’s New York Giants. Deadline reports that the NFL is also expected to “embrace” the film, although it’s unclear exactly what their promotion of the film will include.
“A Prime Video Sports Original, Madden tells the story of one of the largest-than-life personalities to grace an NFL sideline. All Madden ever wanted was to be a head coach. and he was one of the greatest of all time,” reads the movie’s logline. “After he won the Super Bowl, the stress of work started to destroy him. It forced him out of his dream job, and the film focuses on his friendship with Oakland Raiders owner Al Davis and how Madden found a second act that made him much more famous. ”
Ferrell recently starred in the 2022 Christmas musical Spirited alongside Ryan Reynolds. Next, he’s set to play a voice role in the 2023 comedy film Strays, as well as appear as the CEO of Mattel in Greta Gerwig’s Barbie.