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Crossface -- Chris Benoit biopic (D: Lexi Alexander)
German helmer Lexi Alexander has come on board to direct “Crossface,” a biopic about late wresting champ Chris Benoit. Producers are Alex A. Ginzburg and Tony Lee of Let It Play. Ram Getz and Matthew Randazzo V are exec producing. Alexander will direct from a script by Jake Goldberger and Sarah Coulter. The project is based on Randazzo’s book “Ring of Hell: The Story of Chris Benoit & the Fall of the Pro Wrestling Industry.” The movie’s title is taken from Benoit’s trademark “crippler crossface” wrestling hold. Benoit was a respected wrestler who murdered his wife and son before taking his own life in 2007. He was posthumously diagnosed with Chronic Traumatic Encephalopathy (CTE), a progressive degenerative disease caused by severe or repeated blows to the head. Alexander, best known for directing “Punisher: War Zone,” received an Academy Award nomination for her short film “Johnny Flynton.” Her film “Green Street Hooligans,” starring Elijah Wood and Charlie Hunnam, won South by Southwest’s best of fest and a special jury awards in 2005. She has also directed episodes of the TV series “Limitless,” “Supergirl,” and “Arrow.” “I was pretty certain I’d stay in TV rather than returning to the feature world, because the material just seems so much better in TV, especially in drama, but then ‘Crossface’ came my way,” Alexander said. “A heartbreaking, true story about the dark side of wrestling. … I couldn’t say no to that.” Alexander is also a former World Karate Association world champion. Ginzburg and Lee’s producing credits include Lee Kirk’s upcoming film “Geezer,” starring Billie Joe Armstrong, Selma Blair, and Judy Greer; and Jake Goldberger’s “Holding Patterns,” starring Freddie Highmore, Odeya Rush, and Christopher Meloni. Goldberger is repped by APA and Green Room. |
Re: Crossface -- Chris Benoit biopic (D: Lexi Alexander)
For some reason this doesn't totally surprise me. I've had a feeling that we might get something based on the Benoit tragedy since it happened. I was a big fan of of him before he killed his family and himself but can't go back to any of his matches since. Pretty much a big reason why I stopped watching wrestling regularly.
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Re: Crossface -- Chris Benoit biopic (D: Lexi Alexander)
I'm pretty sure this movie has been in development for quite a while. I didn't think it would ever see the light of day. I'm still skeptical that it will ever get made. Even if it did, I'm not sure if I'd want to watch it. Like Mike86, Benoit was "my guy" and his death pretty much ruined wrestling for me. I still watch from time to time, but it's never been the same for me since.
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Re: Crossface -- Chris Benoit biopic (D: Lexi Alexander)
I think it could be an interesting story, but might be a hard sell since we all know how it will end. Also I don't know how they would work around WWE, since they might not want their name anywhere near this movie.
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Re: Crossface -- Chris Benoit biopic (D: Lexi Alexander)
I too was a fan of Benoits back in the day. I think this would be an interesting story but dont really have any interest in watching it. What I do have an interest in is seeing some of his matches again. He was basically erased from existence right after he killed his family. But hasn't the WWE slowly been coming around and putting some of his stuff up? I seem to remember hearing about some of his matches making their way to the network. Despite that, I doubt they would be involved at all with this film, so that may make it a tough film to make.
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Re: Crossface -- Chris Benoit biopic (D: Lexi Alexander)
I love Lexi and this should rock.
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Re: Crossface -- Chris Benoit biopic (D: Lexi Alexander)
WWE doesn't directly acknowledge him anymore. I believe on the WWE Network if he's part of a Raw or Smackdown! or a PPV the matches are in tact but there's a disclaimer or something. I could be wrong but I also think that any promos he may have cut (not that he was known much for mic skills anyway) are edited out entirely. He's also not part of the history or anything on WWE.com or other records that I'm aware.
I'm positive that if this gets made that WWE won't cooperate so the filmmakers would have to make up an organization that represents the company in the film. A big reason why the company went a more PG route is undoubtedly due to blowback from these events and there's no way they want their name attached to anything associated with Benoit directly. |
Re: Crossface -- Chris Benoit biopic (D: Lexi Alexander)
Pretty sure Vince has been trying (which is why its taken so long) to get this never to be made.
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Re: Crossface -- Chris Benoit biopic (D: Lexi Alexander)
Never understood why this guy had any popularity. He matches were the most boring and by the numbers of anyone I can remember. It was like watching the same movie over and over again.
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Re: Crossface -- Chris Benoit biopic (D: Lexi Alexander)
I can think of a bunch of wrestling movies that would be better (and less opportunistic) than Benoit.
Jake Roberts The Von Erich Family The Hart family Andre The Giant Bruno Sammartino Bruiser Brody Lou Thesz The Fabulous Moolah. Plus, they already kind of made the Benoit movie. It was called Foxcatcher. |
Re: Crossface -- Chris Benoit biopic (D: Lexi Alexander)
Originally Posted by Maxflier
(Post 12894970)
Never understood why this guy had any popularity. He matches were the most boring and by the numbers of anyone I can remember. It was like watching the same movie over and over again.
I don't care for a movie about Benoit... but I will watch it for Alexander. She's a great director who got shitted on w/ her Punisher film by Lionsgate. |
Re: Crossface -- Chris Benoit biopic (D: Lexi Alexander)
Originally Posted by Chadm
(Post 12895072)
I can think of a bunch of wrestling movies that would be better (and less opportunistic) than Benoit.
The Von Erich Family Plus, they already kind of made the Benoit movie. It was called Foxcatcher. Man, if anything could be more depressing than this movie, a Von Erich movie would be brutal. |
Re: Crossface -- Chris Benoit biopic (D: Lexi Alexander)
Originally Posted by Solid Snake
(Post 12895088)
Not at all. Just depends on the performer. Him vs. Angle or Guerrero are awesome. He was a very technical wrestler. Shit. Him against William Regal was good. And that was a very old school technical match too. Jericho was good too. Malenko... etc. He even had a good match w/ Stone Cold.
Also Austin is a far better wrestler than he gets credit for being. Everyone knows him for the Stone Cold, fuck authority character that was mostly a brawler. Before his injury he was a pretty different wrestler and technically sound in the ring. The neck injury really screwed things up for him and limited what he could do afterwards. |
Re: Crossface -- Chris Benoit biopic (D: Lexi Alexander)
Originally Posted by collven
(Post 12895089)
Man, if anything could be more depressing than this movie, a Von Erich movie would be brutal.
Kerry, Chris, and Mike. All suicides. David's death is a bit iffy. Some say drug related. The family says heart attack. I always liked Kerry as a kid. Kevin was fun to watch just cuz he was barefoot in that early era. Apparently... I was to be named Kerry cuz my mom loved the Von Erichs and he was her favorite. Thankfully.. that didn't happen. I don't think I would have liked having that name... especially w/ him later offing himself too. |
Re: Crossface -- Chris Benoit biopic (D: Lexi Alexander)
Even though he's still alive, I'd lump Jake Roberts in with the Von Erich's as far as tragedy goes. Not many people had a more horrific childhood than Jake Roberts. Its no wonder he was so deep into drugs for so many years. I'm just shocked he lived through it all.
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Re: Crossface -- Chris Benoit biopic (D: Lexi Alexander)
Yeah. Roberts didn't have a good upbringing at all.
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Re: Crossface -- Chris Benoit biopic (D: Lexi Alexander)
There is already a great story about Jake the Snake on Netflix streaming.
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt4016226/ It is tough to watch at times... |
Re: Crossface -- Chris Benoit biopic (D: Lexi Alexander)
Originally Posted by Maxflier
(Post 12894970)
Never understood why this guy had any popularity. He matches were the most boring and by the numbers of anyone I can remember. It was like watching the same movie over and over again.
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Re: Crossface -- Chris Benoit biopic (D: Lexi Alexander)
Originally Posted by Solid Snake
(Post 12895098)
Very true.
Kerry, Chris, and Mike. All suicides. David's death is a bit iffy. Some say drug related. The family says heart attack. |
Re: Crossface -- Chris Benoit biopic (D: Lexi Alexander)
I'm pretty sure that because it's a biopic, they don't need WWE's co-operation to use WWE, their characters or trademarks in the film. Concussion didn't have the permission of the NFL.
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Re: Crossface -- Chris Benoit biopic (D: Lexi Alexander)
Originally Posted by jjcool
(Post 12894819)
I too was a fan of Benoits back in the day. I think this would be an interesting story but dont really have any interest in watching it. What I do have an interest in is seeing some of his matches again. He was basically erased from existence right after he killed his family. But hasn't the WWE slowly been coming around and putting some of his stuff up? I seem to remember hearing about some of his matches making their way to the network. Despite that, I doubt they would be involved at all with this film, so that may make it a tough film to make.
http://www.wwenetworknews.com/2016/0...promoting-him/ In some interesting news, Chris Benoit’s matches are finally being labeled on the WWE Network. Well, sort of. According to mitbman on reddit, Chris Benoit matches are no longer being skipped from the milestones for events, but instead his name is simply not being advertised. An example, on episode 33 of Smackdown the opening contest features Chris Benoit vs. Rikishi. Normally, the milestone marker would simply just be blank but now they have a match listed with Rikishi, but they don’t mention who else is in the match. Previously, the WWE Network would never mention Benoit, and they still do not, in any kind of written form while also not giving a milestone to any match he is apart of. This is obviously due to the incidents surrounding his passing and Vince McMahon then stating that Chris Benoit will not be promoted again. While some people will be unhappy that they won’t mention him by name, this is regardless a step towards making the content better organized and more accessible. As always, stick to WWE Network News for the latest WWE Network news, rumors, reviews, and more! |
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