Fresh off hits like Cobra Kai and The Fantastic Four: First Steps, Paul Walter Hauser is preparing for Josh Gad’s upcoming Chris Farley biopic, where he hopes to capture the late comedian’s manic energy and unforgettable physical comedy. Farley, who died at just 33 in 1997, is considered by many as one of the greats. He became a household name with SNL classics like motivational speaker Matt Foley in “Van Down by the River” and the “Chippendales” dancer skit. Like many comedians of the time, he later transitioned into ’90s comedies like Tommy Boy, Black Sheep, and Beverly Hills Ninja, becoming the face of physical humor alongside Jim Carrey.
Warner Bros. and New Line picked up the project in April 2024, based on The Chris Farley Show, the biography by Farley’s brother Tom Farley Jr. and Tanner Colby. Gad, best known for his role in Frozen and Broadway hits like The Book of Mormon, is making his feature directorial debut here, and he’s calling it a period piece. “It’s ambitious as hell,” Gad told Entertainment Weekly on September 6 at the Toronto International Film Festival, where he was promoting his neo-noir film Adulthood. He’s currently fine-tuning the script with the studio, looking for ways to trim costs while keeping the essence of Farley’s story intact.
38-year-old Hauser, who has been showing up in film and TV more regularly these days, faces the tricky task of embodying a man who the world considers a legend. But he seems a little concerned with running out of time. “I don’t wanna be 42 years old playing Chris at 25,” Hauser told EW, and Gad echoed the sentiment: “I, too, don’t want Paul to get too much older [to play him].” Thankfully, they want to start filming in early 2026.
The screenplay comes from Scott Neustadter and Michael H. Weber (500 Days of Summer, The Disaster Artist), and Lorne Michaels is producing under Broadway Video. The Farley family has given their blessing to the project, which is probably the biggest green light for any biopic aside from a studio check.
Hauser has shown he can handle complex characters before. His roles in I, Tonya, Richard Jewell, and Apple TV+’s Black Bird earned both critical acclaim and an Emmy. Translating Farley’s physicality onto the screen is a different challenge. Farley’s comedy was loud, chaotic, and full of wild gestures. It’s the kind of performance that’s almost impossible to fake and very easy to get wrong.
Pete Davidson recently shared on The Tonight Show that there’s a little plaque backstage at SNL reading, “Watch Your Head, Farley.” That tribute tells you just how important he was to the show’s legacy.
Fans of the comedian may still be cautious. Biopics can be tricky, especially with a first-time director and a larger-than-life figure at the center. But Gad and Hauser seem to be approaching it with respect.
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