New Line Cinema has landed the Chris Farley biopic starring Paul Walter Hauser, in what Variety is told was a highly competitive situation. The film, which has the blessing of the Farley family, will mark actor Josh Gad’s directorial debut,

Steven Simione/FilmMagic Variety reports that New Line Cinema is backing a Chris Farley biopic that will star Black Bird actor Paul Walter Hauser as the Saturday Night Live superstar. Farley died on D

The SNL alum and former Farley wingman said he hopes the upcoming film “doesn’t just turn into [being] about drugs.”

New Line Cinema has officially secured the highly anticipated biopic package for A Chris Farley Story, with Paul Walter Hauser set to portray the legendary comedian and Josh Gad stepping into the director’s chair.

The pitch is based on the book by Farley’s brother Tom Farley Jr. and Tanner Colby and will be adapted by Scott Neustadter and Michael H. Weber. This marks the second major package Warner Bros. has landed this week with the main studio acquiring Avengelyne which is being developed as a star vehicle for Margot Robbie.

New Line Cinema has landed the Chris Farley biopic starring Paul Walter Hauser and to be directed by Josh Gad, The Wrap has learned.

New Line Cinema proved to be more highly motivated than the rest of its competition in landing the forthcoming Chris Farley biopic that is set to star Paul Walter Hauser as the late comedy legend. The company has landed director Josh Gad’s film following a highly competitive situation.

For Hauser, this is the type of role he has been driving toward as his career has risen rapidly following his scene-stealing role as Tonya Harding’s bodyguard in I, Tonya. He has followed that up with leading roles in Clint Eastwood’s Richard Jewell and most recently his star-making role in Black Bird, which earned him an Emmy.