The highly anticipated Chris Farley biopic continues to gain momentum.
Its director, Josh Gad, recently shared new details surrounding the project at the Toronto International Film Festival, as Entertainment Weekly reported.
“It’s ambitious as hell,” Gad, 44, told EW on Saturday, September 6. “We’re trying to rein in the budget a little, and the plan is still to shoot early next year.”
The Book of Mormon alum is in Toronto to promote his new neo-noir film Adulthood, directed by Alex Winter (of Bill & Ted’s Excellent Adventure fame).
The film is set to star Paul Walter Hauser, who is now five years older than the iconic comedian was when he died.
“I don’t wanna be 42 years old playing Chris at 25,” Hauser, 38, recently told EW, in noting his eagerness to start the project.
“I, too, don’t want Paul to get too much older [to play him],” Gad told EW on Saturday, adding that he believes they will start filming in the first quarter of 2026.
Gad continued, “I’m in the midst of going through the script right now with the studio, who’s been incredibly supportive about finding those things that can reduce it to a greenlight-able budget because, right now, it’s a period piece, it’s a biopic, it’s just super big, and we’re just working towards doing this to it, and I think we’re getting there.”
Farley became a Saturday Night Live staple ever since he graced the Emmy-winning comedy sketch show in 1990. He was known for portraying standout characters such as Matt Foley, GAP Girl Cindy, Bennett Brauer and Barney, as EW noted.
Farley died at the age of 33 in December 1997 from a drug overdose.
Earlier this summer, Pete Davidson joined Tonight Show and shared with host Jimmy Fallon a fun fact he learned about the late comedian — that there’s a little plaque backstage at the SNL set that reads, “Watch Your Head, Farley.” It’s clear that the icon’s legacy continues to live on in more ways than one.
