**UPDATE: **The Hollywood Reporter brings word that Emile Hirsch has officially made a deal to play Belushi. Expect the rest of the cast to fall into place soon.
The itch to make a biopic about troubled comedy legend John Belushi has been one that Hollywood has been trying to scratch for ages now, with projects popping up then falling apart. Most recently, Todd Phillips was attached to produce and potentially direct a script written by Steve Conrad. Now Conrad is stepping up to hoist the megaphone himself and is looking for someone to take on the challenge of playing Belushi.
Conrad, who is behind the script for Ben Stiller’s The Secret Life Of Walter Mitty, has apparently met with the likes of Emile Hirsch, Adam Devine and, apparently, Joaquin Phoenix to discuss the role. Also required is someone to play the younger Dan Aykroyd, and Veep actor Nelson Franklin is among those who have taken meetings about the part.
Known for his career at the Chicago comedy troupe Second City and then as one of the original Saturday Night Live team from 1975-1979, Belushi went on to forge a brief but bright film career, appearing in the likes of Animal House, The Blues Brothers and Neighbours. He had planned to star in both Ghostbusters and Spies Like Us before he died aged 33 from a drug overdose in 1982. While his widow, Judith, has kept a close eye on films made about his life, she’s a producer on this one, which means it has a better chance of going ahead.
So including the current choices, who would you pick to play Belushi?