He’s dabbled in the über-competitive worlds of fashion, basketball, figure-skating and NASCAR racing thanks to Zoolander, Semi-Pro, Blades of Glory and Talladega Nights but now, Will Ferrell has his eye on a different sport altogether: competitive gaming.
Legendary Pictures has today closed a deal with Ferrell that will have him headline an untitled comedy rooted in the world of eSports. Featuring a script penned by Michael Kvamme and Jordan Dunn, the elevator pitch reveals Will Ferrell will play a key member of an elite eSports team, which is seen as a strange anomaly in a sport where most competitors tap out in their late twenties due to slowing hand-eye coordination.
Beyond that, little is known about the actual set-up. Legendary’s press release does name-check League of Legends and Dota 2, which is hardly surprising given both titles pull in some of the biggest crowds in eSports – bigger than even the World Series or NBA Finals. Evil Geniuses and Fnatic, two of the top eSports teams on the planet, are said to be in final negotiations to have a presence in the movie – much like, say, Jamie McMurray and Dale Earnhardt Jr. swinging by for cameos in Talladega Nights.
Indeed, it’s understood The Ballad of Ricky Bobby is acting as a creative touchstone for Legendary and Universal’s eSports romp, and Will Ferrell will no doubt bring his at-times-outrageous brand of comedy to the fold. Mosiac and Ferrell’s Gary Sanchez Productions is also involved in the production.