Chris Rock and Adam Sandler to produce Richard Pryor biopic

Chris Rock (Skip Nocciolo/CNN)

By MARK MARINO, Special to CNN

Story Created: Jul 5, 2010 at 11:59 PM PST

Story Updated: Jul 6, 2010 at 12:16 AM PST

Tools

(CNN) -- Comic legend Richard Pryor has inspired legions of comedians and now he's inspiring a big-screen movie.

Pryor's life will be turned into a biopic produced by Chris Rock and Adam Sandler and starring Marlon Wayans. "Richard Pryor: Is It Something I Said?" will tell Pryor's story from his childhood at his grandmother's Peoria, Illinois, brothel to his rise on the comedy scene to his struggle with drug addiction.

Eddie Murphy, who co-starred with the groundbreaking comedian in 1989's "Harlem Nights," was originally attached to the project, but reportedly passed because of "creative differences." Meanwhile, Pryor, who died in 2005 at age 65, had selected "The Hangover" star Mike Epps as his personal choice. But Rock, 45, says it was "Scary Movie" and "G.I. Joe" funny guy Wayans who was born to play the role.

"Marlon Wayans, he did a screen test and it was just unbelievable," Rock told MTV News. "It's not just doing the comedy of Richard Pryor. He captures the vulnerability of Richard Pryor."

Bill Condon will direct the film -- once he's finished working on the two-part "The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn" -- and Sandler, 43, says shooting will begin "hopefully, soon. It's all being worked on."

In the meantime, Wayans, 37, is confident he will make Pryor proud. "You need to be lucky in life, but it's also what you do with your luck," he told the L.A. Times. "I'm ready."

Add a comment

Name:

Comment: 1000 Characters Left

Los Angeles Wave and its affiliated companies are not responsible for the content of comments posted or for anything arising out of use of the above comments or other interaction among the users. We reserve the right to screen, refuse to post, remove or edit user-generated content at any time and for any or no reason in our absolute and sole discretion without prior notice, although we have no duty to do so or to monitor any Public Forum.

On Demand

This content requires the latest Adobe Flash Player and a browser with JavaScript enabled. Click here for a free download of the latest Adobe Flash Player.