In terms of both his physical stature and his personality, Andre “The Giant” Roussimoff was larger than life. Despite having passed away more than 20 years ago, the 7-plus-foot, 500-plus-pound former WWF superstar still looms large in pop culture, and, according to Variety, he won’t be forgotten any time soon.
A biopic detailing the life of Roussimoff is reportedly in the works and is based on Andre the Giant: Closer to Heaven, the unique, graphic novel based on the life of the wrestler that hit bookstore shelves in 2015. Producers Scott Steindorff and Dylan Russell have partnered with Lion Forge Comics for the project, which is still in the early stages of development.
Said Steindorff: “Andre the Giant rode the wave of the rise of wrestling in America, while suffering from the painful health condition of gigantism – there’s an Elephant Man story here.”
“As a lifelong wrestling fan, I can say with conviction that no one was bigger than Andre,” said Lion Forge CEO David Steward II. “His presence and charisma were so powerful, and you could tell there was much more to him under the surface of his ring persona. It’s been an amazing experience telling that story in the book with Robin’s help. With all the spectacle, action, and emotion there on the page, a feature film just made perfect sense.”
No word yet on who might play the gigantic subject of the film, but there aren’t but a handful of actors on Planet Earth large enough for the job. Hafþór Júlíus Björnsson — famous for playing “The Mountain” on Game of Thrones — certainly comes to mind — but believe it or not, he’s actually a tad small for the role.
During his life, Roussimoff was no stranger to the silver screen and appeared in several films, including the 1987 classic The Princess Bride, in which he played Fezzik, the enormous roving bandit with a heart of gold.
At this point, the film’s release date is still very much TBA, but be sure to stay tuned for updates.