Long Awaited Paul Walter Hauser Biopic of Comedian Chris Farley: Production Update
After what feels like a long decade of Hollywood teasing – and being stuck in development purgatory, Paul Walter Hauser’s Chris Farley biopic is actually happening. And honestly? It’s about friggin’ time. Hauser has a definitive talent for playing real life people, (Richard Jewell – remember?), and portraying the late SNL comedian Chris Farley is no exception. Hauser says he was born to play this role. We have all been waiting for this one.
Paul Walter Hauser Confirms Upcoming Production Schedule
During a recent appearance on Barstool Sports’ Pardon My Take podcast, Paul Walter Hauser dropped the news we’ve all been desperate to hear. “We’re going to shoot it next [this] year at some point, probably later in the year,” he revealed, and you could practically hear the collective sigh of relief from comedy fans everywhere.
The timing of this announcement couldn’t have been more poignant – it happened to coincide with the 27th anniversary of Chris Farley’s tragic death. But instead of dwelling on the sadness, Hauser’s got this almost mystical confidence about taking on the role that’s both endearing and slightly unnerving.
The Cosmic Connection Between Paul Walter Hauser and Chris Farley
Here’s where things get weird, but in the best possible way. Hauser shared this absolutely mind-bending story about meeting Chris’s brother John Farley a couple of years back. When Hauser gave John his phone number, John looked at his phone and said, “Why is your number already in my phone?”
They had never met. Never exchanged numbers. Yet somehow, Paul Walter Hauser’s contact info was just chilling in John Farley’s phone like some kind of comedic destiny at work. “Weird things like that have been happening for a while, and I think some people are just supposed to play certain people,” Hauser explained, and honestly, we’re definitely here for this supernatural casting energy.
Hollywood Heavy Hitters Back the Chris Farley Project
This isn’t some fly-by-night indie production either. Lorne Michaels and his Broadway Video production company had been shopping this project around, with New Line Cinema ultimately snatching it up. Josh Gad (Olaf of Frozen fame) is directing, and the script comes from Scott Neustadter and Michael H. Weber. It’s based on The Chris Farley Show: A Biography in Three Acts by Chris’s brother Tom Farley Jr. and Tanner Colby. Interesting.
But here’s the thing that’s got everyone talking – not all of Farley’s Saturday Night Live buddies are thrilled about this biopic. David Spade was fairly vocal about his concerns, hoping it doesn’t just become another tragic drug story. “I would hope it doesn’t just turn into being about drugs. I just want it to be the whole thing,” Spade said, and you really can’t blame him for wanting to make sure his close friend’s legacy is protected.
Paul Walter Hauser’s Vision for Authenticity
Thankfully, Hauser seems to get it. He’s not interested in turning this into some exploitative mess. He also said on the Barstool Sports’ Podcast:
There was just a very sensitive, intellectual side of Farley that not everybody got to see, especially if they were a newer friend when he had already been very famous… I think in telling that story, we hope to show the duality of him, as there’s a duality to many of us.
When further questioned about the pressure of playing such a beloved figure, Hauser’s response was unassumingly honest and slightly cheeky. He stated:
I’m not incapable of letting his fans down. Somebody can order a steak, and you give them exactly the fillet they ordered, and they’re still not happy. They send it back to the kitchen. Some people are impossible… But I love Chris so much that I’m not worried about keeping his memory alive in an authentic and loving way. I know I’m going to do that.
Hauser’s reassurance makes us feel as though he was born to play this role.
Why This Chris Farley Biopic Matters Now
Unfortunately we’ve seen plenty of comedian biopics that completely missed the mark. But there’s something different about this approach. The involvement of Farley’s family, Lorne Michaels’ backing, and Paul Walter Hauser’s true reverence for the subject matter suggests this might actually honor the complex human being behind the physical comedy genius.
Chris Farley deserved way better than the trajectory his life took, and maybe, just maybe, this biopic can give him the distinctive portrayal which his memory deserves. With a potential 2025 production on the horizon and a possible 2026 release, we’re cautiously optimistic that Paul Walter Hauser and team will deliver something worthy of the comedic genius behind ‘Tommy Boy’ who made us laugh until our sides were hurting.
