Didn’t think a documentary about two guys trying to set a Donkey Kong world record would be fun? Pfft. Idiot. King of Kong, the story of Billy Mitchell and Steve Wiebe’s quest to be #1 in the world at Donkey Kong, is winning people over. Them and their money. So creators Ed Cunningham and Seth Gordon are working on more than the DVD release of the doco: they’re writing a draft for a film adaptation. A proper film, with real actors. They’ve also begun thinking about a dramatisation of the documentary. The outline is approved and the film is eight weeks out from a first draft. “My first idea for Billy was Johnny Depp,” Gordon said of the famously mullet-ed arcade legend. “Ed Norton I thought would be good. It’s really not about the hair, it’s about the eyes. It’s got to be a real actor.” For Wiebe, Cunningham said he’s “partial to Greg Kinnear.” Gordon suggested Nathan Fillion from the movie “Waitress.”
They think there’s enough meat in the story to fill a feature film, bringing up a moment (sadly, captured only on audio) where Wiebe, on the verge of a new record, is…hit on the ass with a broom by his son. Who needed him to “wipe my butt”. I don’t know about Johnny Depp, but you put Donkey Kong and a shitty butt up on the silver screen, you’ll be thanking the academy and the good Lord Jesus Christ before you know it.
‘Donkey Kong’ Flick Finally Barrels Into Theatres – Will Johnny Depp Play Along? [MTV]