Have you ever wondered what would happen if Magic Mike and Scarface got together and had a love child? No? Yeah … neither have we. But we’re about to find out, for better or for worse. That is more or less how Deadline describes Chippendales, which is set to bring the sordid origin story of the eponymous male dancing troupe to the big screen — and it looks like both Dev Patel and Ben Stiller could be on board.
The project has been making the rounds for a while, but Bold Films has now agreed to finance the film, which already has Stiller on board to play Nick De Noia, a one-time Emmy-winning children’s television producer who recruited the Chippendales, choreographed their routines, and managed their tours. Patel, on the other hand, is in talks to star as Steve Banerjee, an India-born club owner whose establishment gained worldwide fame for hosting the show.
In case you were wondering — and you secretly were — neither Patel nor Stiller is expected to disrobe during the film, and this seems like a weightier, more sobering story than you might expect. In fact, if it really were a love child between the two films mentioned above, it would take more after Scarface. That is because the film is based on an almost unbelievable true tale involving some of the shadiest characters imaginable — expect it to feature murder, suicide, racketeering, arson, and a host of other illicit activities. Here is what Bold Films co-founder Gary Michael Walters had to say about the project:
“It is the Horatio Alger story gone horribly wrong. It is a true life Boogie Nights, a wild ride through the seamy underbelly where entertainment and criminality meet, during a period where the pendulum swung toward female sexuality.”
This project is still in its early stages, so details are scarce and its release date is still very much to be determined. Before it can move forward, it first needs to hire a director, as big names like Tony Scott (Top Gun), and Oliver Stone (Platoon) were once attached. Stay tuned and we’ll keep you updated as information becomes available.
In the meantime, you can catch Patel in the Oscar-nominated Lion and Stiller in Brad’s Status on September 15, 2017).
