Chris Hemsworth to produce, star in I’ll Never Get Out of This World Alive

While Tom Hiddleston prepares his potrayal of iconic musician Hank Williams, another Asgardian will tackle the story from a different angle. Chris Hemsworth has optioned Steve Earle’s novel I’LL NEVER GET OUT OF THIS WORLD ALIVE and plans to produce and star in the film.

Hemsworth will develop the film alongside Bejamin Grayson, who will script the project and make his directorial debut. Grayson has previously worked as an assistant to Kenneth Branagh on THOR and John Lee Hancock on SAVING MR. BANKS. Hemsworth will take the lead role of Toby Ebersole.

“I’ll Never Get Out of This World Alive” is a dark, fictitious tale that follows Toby “Doc” Ebersole, who’s haunted by the ghost of Hank Williams following his involvement in the country singer’s mysterious death in 1953. After his medical license is revoked, the story picks up 10 years later in the red-light district of San Antonio, Texas, where Doc supports his morphine habit by performing illegal medical procedures. Hank’s ghost serves a demented Jiminy Cricket, visiting Doc often whether he’s wanted or not. The film takes its title from a 1952 song Williams co-wrote that was the last single released during his lifetime.

Hemsworth has lined up quite the filmography outside of THOR and THE AVENGERS franchises. He starred in SNOW WHITE AND THE HUNTSMAN and will reprise that role for the Frank Darabont-directed prequel. He also appeared in RUSH for Ron Howard. He will next be seen in Michael Mann‘s BLACKHAT and Howard’s HEART OF THE SEA.

Getting two projects about Hank Williams so close together usually spells disaster for filmmakers, but these are not competing stories rather than complimentary ones. Hopefully both live up to expectations.