Even though Tom Cruise himself somewhat let the feline slip out of the bag on the MTV Movie Awards red carpet this past weekend, the notion that Paramount would stump up real money to make a film based entirely around his sweary producer character from Tropic Thunder had remained largely in the vaporous world of rumour. But the studio has now made it official - along with MTV Films, it has begun development on a Grossman movie.
Framing it as if the companies have bought Grossman’s life rights, the press release makes it clear that they’re treating him as a “real” person. And that includes producers Ben Stiller and Stuart Cornfeld, who will be working to bring him back to our screens.
“Les Grossman's life story is an inspiring tale of the classic human struggle to achieve greatness against all odds. He has assured me he plans to, quote, ‘Fking kill the sht out of this movie and make Citizen f**king Kane look like a piece of crap home movie by the time we are done.’ I am honoured to be working with him,” says Stiller in the statement.
And then there’s Paramount Film president Adam Goodman: "Everything I learned in this business, I've learned from Les. I started out as his assistant, and from the first day he threw his desk at me when I got his lunch order wrong, I have loved him like a father. I am forever grateful to Ben and Stuart Cornfeld and their ability to secure his highly-coveted life rights." Oh, the wit.
There’s even a quote from Grossman himself: “To quote my great friend Kirk Lazarus, ‘I don’t read the script, the script reads me.’”
With Cruise mentioned as “in talks” to portray the man, the legend, Scott Pilgrim Vs. The World’s Michael Bacall is listed as the project’s writer.
While we definitely enjoyed the character in Tropic Thunder, and his appearances before and during the MTV Awards were fun, we wonder whether he’s worth an entire movie. What say you?