A new John Belushi biopic is in the works. THR reports that Steve Conrad, writer of The Weather Man, The Pursuit of Happyness, and Ben Stiller’s upcoming Secret Life of Walter Mitty, is set to direct a film about the life of the late comedian. Conrad has met with Emile Hirsch and Workaholics star Adam DeVine about taking the part. THR reports that Joaquin Phoenix has also been connected to the Belushi role. Nelson Franklin, who’s appeared on New Girl and Veep and is a regular on CBS’s The Millers, is being considered to play Dan Aykroyd.
The Hangover/Old School director Todd Phillips signed on to make the Belushi biopic in 2010 but has handed directing duties off to Conrad. Phillips will remain onboard as a producer. The biopic was set up at Warner Bros. but is moving forward as an independent movie.
If made, this will be the second movie about John Belushi’s life, following 1989’s Wired, which received a negative response from audiences and from Belushi’s friends, family, and fans. That won’t be the case with the new biopic, though, as Belushi’s widow, Judy Belushi Pisano, and Dan Aykroyd are both producers on it. The movie will follow Belushi at the height of his fame, and filmmakers are looking to shoot it in New York in the spring.
