Borat director signs up

The life of comedian Sam Kinison is to be made into a Hollywood biopic.

Borat and Bruno director Larry Charles will helm the new film, called simply Kinison, based on the biography Brother Sam, by Kinison’s sibling Bill.

Josh Gad, who starred in the Broadway production of Book Of Mormon and plays Steve Wozniak in the forthcoming biopic of Apple’s Steve Jobs, will play the lead.

The film is set to cover his transition from Pentecostal preacher to a manic stand-up comedian before his death in a 1992 car crash at the age of 38.

Producer David Permut told Hollywood website Deadline: ‘There was nothing conventional about Sam Kinison and neither will be the cinematic interpretation of his life.

’Larry Charles is the perfect director to bring Rich Wilkes’ incredible script to screen, and Josh Gad’s tremendous ability to morph into a role will bring great depth to Kinison’s larger-than-life persona.’

The movie was first revealed in 2010, but had apparently stalled until the casting and directorial announcement was made today.

Published: 6 Aug 2013