John Candy, who we recently listed as one of Toronto’s most iconic comedians, is getting a documentary made about his life. Amazon Prime Video is in negotiations to acquire an untitled film about the comedian, directed by Vancouver-born actor Ryan Reynolds and fellow actor/director Colin Hanks.
“Making the John Candy documentary with Colin Hanks is heaven. So thankful and so fun,” Reynolds said in an Instagram post earlier this year.
According to Variety, the film will explore Candy’s life and legacy prior to his heart attack in 1994, when he died at the age of 43. Reportedly, it will look beyond his public persona and take a closer look at his private life — for the first time, the public will be able to see never-before-seen home videos and interviews with family members. The film reportedly has the support of Candy’s widow, Rose, as well as their children, Jen and Chris.
Reynolds announced the project, which will be made my his Maximum Effort studio, in October, 2022 in a post on X.
With John Candy trending, I’ll just say I love him. So much so, @maximumeffort is working on a documentary on his life with @colinhanks. Expect tears.
— Ryan Reynolds (@VancityReynolds) October 10, 2022
Hanks is best known for his role in the Jumanji films and FX’s Fargo, but his parents — Tom Hanks and Rita Wilson — were well-acquainted with Candy, starring alongside the comedian in the 1985 comedy Volunteers. Tom Hanks also co-starred with Candy in the 1984 comedy “Splash”, which helped catapult both actors to stardom.
Candy was born in Newmarket and raised in East York. He started acting in small roles on Canadian TV series before perfecting his comedic timing as part of the original SCTV crew. His larger-than-life personality soon made him a fan fav, and he eventually landed roles such as a carefree babysitter in Uncle Buck, a talkative traveller in Planes, Trains and Automobiles, the coach of a Jamaican bobsled team in Cool Runnings, and the Polka King of the Midwest in Home Alone.
Even after his untimely death more than three decades ago, many fans still honour the actor every year on Oct 31 (his birthday). In, 2020, former Toronto Mayor John Tory officially proclaimed Oct 31 “John Candy Day” in honour of what would have been the comedian’s 70th birthday.
