Entertaiment Weekly is reporting that Marlon Wayans is already in negotiations to star as comedy legend Richard Pryor in the upcoming biopic Richard Pryor: Is It Something I Said?

Part of the well-established Wayans Brothers clan, which helped pioneer In Living Color and several hit comedies in the early to mid '90s, Marlon Wayans showed his range by dropping a highly memorable performance as a Coney Island junkie in Darren Aronofsky's Requiem for a Dream (2000).

If we didn't have that performance to judge from, we might think the idea of him portraying Pryor is a big mistake, since he's also written and starred in several forgettable Scary Movie installments.

But according to the EW post, Wayans fought hard for the chance to audition for the role, and he then wowed producers with a 13-minute audition in which he "transforms into Pryor."

Apparently, Eddie Murphy was once attached to this project, but had to withdraw due to scheduling conflicts. This seems fortunate, because Wayans seems like a better fit. We think audience's familiarity with Murphy's distinct comedic identity would make it difficult for him to pull off a convincing performance.

The project is being helmed by Bill Condon, who also directed Dreamgirls, Kinsey, and Gods and Monsters. Chris Rock is producing along with Pryor's widow, Jennifer Lee Pryor. No official casting decisions or release dates have been announced.

 

 

http://www.reelzchannel.com/movie-news/4714/marlon-wayans-rumored-for-richard-pryor-biopic

 

 

I don't think anyone is as big a Marlon Wayans fan as I am, and I am rooting for him 200%.  I know for a fact that Marlon is a great actor.  He studied drama in high school, and if you haven't seen the film, 'Requiem for a Dream', you need to rent it.  He plays the role of a heroine addict, and it shows his true acting ability.  Out of all of the Wayans, Marlon has the most talent; he's just a little over-the-top at times, as is the rest of the family.  However, I know he will do his homework and really get into character for the biopic, and the world will be watching closely.  This is the role of a lifetime for any comedian who idolizes the real King of Comedy in my eyes, and I pray he does one hell of a job because it will make him a legitimate actor.

Word on the street is that Eddie turned down the role due to money issues, but I just can't believe that he would turn down such a powerful role.  I believe what someone else said when they mentioned that he felt he was too old for the part.

This should be interesting film.  I know I'm interested in seeing where this movie starts, timewise.  I say this because the film 'Jo-Jo Dancer, Your Life is Calling' was loosely based on Pryor's life and that was done over 20 years ago.