Adam McKay will set his sights on Dick Cheney in new biopic

Last Updated on July 31, 2021

Though this last election brought out a real conglomerate of whacky and downright insane political figures, we forget that these kinds of inexplicable folks have been around forever. One of those figures is the infamous Dick Cheney, a man who has been the subject of so many unflattering stories that shooting his friend in the face seems like the least worrisome. Well now the larger-than-life figure is getting the biopic treatment, and who better to bring it to life than the guy who made STEP BROTHERS?

Deadline got wind of the biopic that it will be written and directed by Adam McKay, who will focus the story on Cheney’s time as CEO of Halliburton and going all the way through his time as George W. Bush’s vice president (a time people joke about as being “Dick Cheney’s presidency”), wherein he strongly advocated for the war in Iraq after 9/11, and instituting controversial interrogation tactics such as waterboarding.  McKay has a lot curiosity when it comes to the man saying:

I’ve always found Cheney fascinating. Questions of what drove him, what his beliefs were; but once we started digging I was astounded at how much he had shaped modern America’s place in the world and how shocking the methods were by which he gained his power.

This of course will not be the filmmaker’s first foray in controversial subject matter. Fresh off his Oscar win for THE BIG SHORT (best adapted screenplay), McKay is also attached to turn the rise and fall of Theranos founder Elizabeth Holmes into a film called BAD BLOOD starring Jennifer Lawrence. BLOOD will have to wait, though, as McKay has already written his Cheney movie and plans to hand it out for actors to read soon in hopes of getting it started this spring, aiming for as early as a late 2017 release.

The director known for silly comedies in the past is quickly becoming one of our societies most astute commentators, especially regarding politics. He was able to convey the issues around the 2008 financial crisis with as much clarity as any human can, and did it with a story that utilized his biting sense of humor, passionate outrage and a top-notch cast. He will probably infuse the same qualities into his Cheney movie, a film that gives us to hope for Will Ferrell reprising his George W. Bush impression. Also is it just me or would Steve Carell make an effective Cheney if he put on some extra poundage?

Adam McKay’s Cheney movie hopes to start early next year, aiming for a late 2017 release.