Comedian Will Ferrell to topline “Match Maker”

Comedian Will Ferrell to topline “Match Maker”

PanARMENIAN.Net - Will Ferrell has attached himself to star in Match Maker, a sports-themed comedic drama about the legendary conflict between Bobby Riggs and Billie Jean King, The Hollywood Reporter said.

At the same time, Steve Conrad has come aboard to write the script for the project, which is being developed by Chernin Entertainment and Gary Sanchez Productions.

Match Maker adapts the ESPN Magazine article "The Match Maker: Bobby Riggs, The Mafia and The Battle of the Sexes” penned by Don Van Natta Jr. The story told of the infamous rivalry between Riggs, a tennis champ past his prime who came out of retirement to challenge women’s tennis player King in a 1973 game that became known as The Battle of the Sexes. More than 50 million Americans tuned in to watch King beat Riggs and win the $100,000 prize.

It was later postulated that Riggs lost on purpose in order to erase some gambling debts he had to the mob.

Chernin Entertainment picked up the rights to the piece last year and has been developing it since.

Peter Chernin and Jenno Topping will produce via their Chernin Entertainment Banner along with Ferrell and Adam McKay via their Gary Sanchez Productions banner.

Chernin Entertainment senior vp David Ready and Gary Sanchez Productions’ Jessica Elbaum will also produce.

Ferrell last starred in Anchorman 2: The Legend Continues and voiced the villain Lord Business in The Lego Movie. Conrad last wrote The Secret Life of Walter Mitty and is prepping to direct the John Belushi biopic that will star Emile Hirsch.

Chernin just began production on Spy, the new Paul Feig film starring Melissa McCarthy, and this summer will unleash the much buzzed-about Dawn of the Planet of the Apes.

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