Is Will Ferrell Circling A Role To Play Porn Producer Russ Meyer?

Will Ferrell is reportedly thinking about taking up a role in which he could play porn producer Russ Meyer in a new independent movie.

According to Variety, the film project, Russ and Roger Go Beyond, is focused on the collaboration between Russ Meyer and Roger Ebert on Beyond the Valley of the Dolls. Meyer directed the 1970 film from a script co-written with Ebert, and Will Ferrell could portray Russ Meyer in the new movie.

If Will gets the part, he would be involved in exploring the relationship between his character, Meyer, and Ebert. Ebert was one of the few people who had ever given Meyer a positive review, according to Deadline. Ebert had just begun his career with the Chicago Sun-Times as a film critic when he started writing the script for the movie, and it is the only screenwriting credit Ebert ever had. Ebert passed away in April, 2013.

Russ Meyer was well known for his involvement in the direction of many sexploitation films throughout his career. Beneath the Valley of the Ultra-Vixens and Faster, Pussycat! Kill! Kill! are just a few examples of his projects. He died at the age of 82 in 2004.

Russ and Roger Go Beyond follows Meyer and Ebert as they make Beyond the Valley of the Dolls, a movie that was supposed to be a sequel to Valley of the Dolls but ended up as a satire instead. The new indie film will include details about the ratings board controversy involving the movie’s X rating, according to JoBlow.

The movie that Will Ferrell is eyeing involves producers Mark Amin’s Sobini Films, David Permut through Permut Presentations, and Richard Waltzer. The film was written by SNL and The Simpsons writer Christopher Cluess.

Will Ferrell isn’t the only one who is looking to become involved with the movie project. Several other unnamed actors as of yet are interested in playing the role of Ebert. Edgar Wright, a filmmaker who just detached himself from Marvel’s Ant-Man, is “intrigued” by the project, according to AceShowbiz.

Will’s last lead role in a movie was through Anchorman: The Legend Continues. Ferrell loaned his voice to President Business in The Lego Movie, and he produced Tammy. Will Ferrell is staying busy, and he is to act in Welcome to Me and Get Hard. Edgar Wright is currently involved in Baby Driver and Grasshopper Jungle.

Ferrell’s interest is making the film project gain some traction in the industry. If Will Ferrell does jump for the role in Russ and Roger Go Beyond, shooting could begin as early as next year.

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