Ben Stiller is in talks to star in "I Am Chippendales," the true-life story of how the male dance club became one of the most famous adult entertainment shows in the world. The story focuses on the founding and expansion of the Chippendales nightclub by Paul Snider and Somen "Steve" Banerjee - who eventually pleaded guilty to attempted arson, racketeering and murder for hire and was found dead in his jail cell in 1994. Stiller will play Nick DeNoia, the former choreographer/partner who helped conceive the idea for the dance troupe with Banerjee and attorney Brian Nahin and played a big part in the expansion of the act on a global level. Alan Ball (Towelhead) will direct and write the script based on Rodney Sheldon's book.
- 4/2/2014
- WorstPreviews.com
Who would have thought that the wild and wonderful world of male stripping would become such fodder for major Hollywood dramas? Following the success of Steven Soderbergh’s surprisingly complex Magic Mike, the studios are finally taking the hint and producing a few more stripping-related dramas with high profile stars. Besides the upcoming sequel Magic Mike Xxl, the film I Am Chippendales, based on the book by Rodney Sheldon, will look to chart the rise of those most famous of naked artists, the Chippendale Dancers.
To this end, director Alan Ball (True Blood) has signed Ben Stiller to star as Chippendales choreographer Nick DeNoia, who helped to conceive the ideas behind the erotic dancing troupe that became so famous. I Am Chippendales will focus on the darker aspects of the male stripping world, somewhat touched on with Magic Mike, as original creators Paul Snider and Somen “Steve” Banerjee founded their...
To this end, director Alan Ball (True Blood) has signed Ben Stiller to star as Chippendales choreographer Nick DeNoia, who helped to conceive the ideas behind the erotic dancing troupe that became so famous. I Am Chippendales will focus on the darker aspects of the male stripping world, somewhat touched on with Magic Mike, as original creators Paul Snider and Somen “Steve” Banerjee founded their...
- 4/1/2014
- by Lauren Humphries-Brooks
- We Got This Covered
The male bump-and-grind is getting a new twist with Alan Ball's "I Am Chippendales," and it's possible that Ben Stiller will join the fun. Actually, the Ladies of Tampa should probably hold on to their dollar bills for now, as this biopic sounds like it's even darker than "Magic Mike." (Yeah, we'll say it. "Magic Mike" is kinda depressing!)
According to Variety, Ben Stiller is in talks to play Nicholas De Noia, a TV producer and choreographer for the original "Chippendales" who was found shot in his office in 1987. And that's just the tip of the iceberg in this crazy tale, which encompasses murder, murder-for-hire, dubious financial doings, and much more. It will be based on Rodney Sheldon's book about the franchise's beginnings, and its founders Paul Snider and Somen Banerjee. Ball, who is the mastermind behind "True Blood," "Six Feet Under," and "American Beauty," knows from sex,...
According to Variety, Ben Stiller is in talks to play Nicholas De Noia, a TV producer and choreographer for the original "Chippendales" who was found shot in his office in 1987. And that's just the tip of the iceberg in this crazy tale, which encompasses murder, murder-for-hire, dubious financial doings, and much more. It will be based on Rodney Sheldon's book about the franchise's beginnings, and its founders Paul Snider and Somen Banerjee. Ball, who is the mastermind behind "True Blood," "Six Feet Under," and "American Beauty," knows from sex,...
- 4/1/2014
- by Jenni Miller
- Moviefone
Ben Stiller has signed up to star in an adaptation of Rodney Sheldon's book "I Am Chippendales".
The story follows the two men who created the first all-male stripping troupe 'Chippendales' before arson, racketeering and murder got into the mix. Stiller will play Nick DeNoia, a choreographer who helped conceive the idea.
"True Blood" and "Six Feet Under" creator Alan Ball is adapting the script and will both produce and direct the film.
Stiller is also now "in talks" to direct the long-gestating film "The Current War" penned by Michael Mitnick and setup at The Weinstein Company.
That film follows the true story of Thomas Edison and George Westinghouse's battle to produce the first stable electric current.
Source: Variety & Deadline...
The story follows the two men who created the first all-male stripping troupe 'Chippendales' before arson, racketeering and murder got into the mix. Stiller will play Nick DeNoia, a choreographer who helped conceive the idea.
"True Blood" and "Six Feet Under" creator Alan Ball is adapting the script and will both produce and direct the film.
Stiller is also now "in talks" to direct the long-gestating film "The Current War" penned by Michael Mitnick and setup at The Weinstein Company.
That film follows the true story of Thomas Edison and George Westinghouse's battle to produce the first stable electric current.
Source: Variety & Deadline...
- 4/1/2014
- by Garth Franklin
- Dark Horizons
• Ben Stiller is in talks to star in I Am Chippendales, the true story of the fraught ascent of the male stripper revue, based on Rodney Sheldon’s book. The Secret Life of Walter Mitty star would play Nicolas de Noia, a former choreographer who helped usher the show into the mainstream. The story will focus on founder Steve Banerjee. Alan Ball, best known for his work as an executive producer on shows like True Blood, Banshee, and Six Feet Under, will direct. [Variety]
• The Walking Dead’s Norman Reedus has boarded the cast of John Hillcoat’s Triple Nine about...
• The Walking Dead’s Norman Reedus has boarded the cast of John Hillcoat’s Triple Nine about...
- 3/31/2014
- by Lindsey Bahr
- EW - Inside Movies
Ben Stiller is in talks to star in “I Am Chippendales,” Alan Ball's fact-based feature film about the iconic male strip club. He'll play one of the club's early partners, a source close to the project said Monday. Ball will direct, produce and adapt the script from Rodney Sheldon's book for Permut Presentations and Sentinel Pictures. Also read: Ben Stiller's Red Hour Films Closes TV, Digital Pact With Legendary Television The book explores the founding and expansion of the Chippendales nightclub by Paul Snider and Somen Banerjee. Banerjee eventually pleaded guilty to attempted arson, racketeering and murder...
- 3/31/2014
- by Todd Cunningham
- The Wrap
Just last week we learned that Magic Mike Xxl would be shooting this fall with the original film's first assistant director stepping up to to sit in the director's chair for the sequel starring Channing Tatum. Now another male stripper drama is in the works as Deadline reports Ben Stiller is in talks to lead I Am Chippendales, a feature film from "True Blood" creator Alan Ball about the dawn of the famous male stripping troupe. The Weinstein Company seems to be the likely studio home for the film adapting Rodney Sheldon's book of the same name about immigrant Steve Banerjee's rise to nightclub fame and fortune. Banerjee was an immigrant who started small by pumping gas in Culver City, California but struck gold by kicking off the male stripper sensation in the 1980s when women's lib was all the rage. But after finding success, Banerjee became consumed by...
- 3/31/2014
- by Ethan Anderton
- firstshowing.net
Ben Stiller is in talks to join Alan Ball's I Am Chippendales, a film about the founding of the famous male exotic dance troupe. Ball, the former showrunner of HBO's vampire drama True Blood, will helm the pic as well as write the script based on Rodney Sheldon’s book. The story centers on Paul Snider and Somen Banerjee, founders of the dance group that eventually became one of the biggest adult entertainment shows in the world. Story: Ben Stiller-Produced Scripted Half-Hour Picked Up to Series at Comedy Central Stiller would play choreographer Nick de Noia, who helped come up
read more...
read more...
- 3/31/2014
- by Rebecca Ford
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
We're surprised it took this long. After the smash success of "Magic Mike" in 2012, we figured Hollywood would be flooding the market with movies featuring buff dudes taking off their shirts. Well, "Magic Mike Xxl" is on the way with a director selected to take on the gig, and they'll have some competition around the stripper pole. Ben Stiller has signed up to star in "I Am Chippendales," in what sounds like a darker premise than the Channing Tatum joint. Alan Ball ("True Blood," "Six Feet Under"), adapting the book by Rodney Sheldon, will produce and direct the picture about Paul Snider and Somen “Steve” Banerjee, the men who founded the famed skin joint before arson, racketeering and murder got into the mix. Stiller will play Nick DeNoia, a choreographer who helped conceive the idea that Banerjee ran with. We certainly dig when Stiller moves toward interesting dramas rather than...
- 3/31/2014
- by Kevin Jagernauth
- The Playlist
Ben Stiller is in early talks to take a lead role in I Am Chippendales, a movie that Alan Ball wrote and will direct that’s being shopped right now. The Weinstein Company is the favorite to make a deal on the film. It’s an adaptation of the Rodney Sheldon book that sounds like a mix between Magic Mike and Scarface. Chippendales tells the story of Steve Banerjee, an immigrant who went from pumping gas in Culver City to running a high-end nightclub that evolved into Chippendales. As the male-stripper concept became a phenomenon in the 1980s at the height of the women’s lib movement, Banerjee was consumed by excess and competition. After hiring a New York choreographer to polish the all-male dance troupe, he became wildly rich, and just as paranoid. Banerjee hired a hitman to murder the choreographer when negotiations went sour. After being arrested, Banerjee died in jail awaiting trial.
- 3/31/2014
- by MIKE FLEMING JR
- Deadline
When I saw the headline for this Ben Stiller/Chippendales story, the two images in the header above were what I thought of. However, it doesn.t sound like it.s going to be a flick that goes straight for the laughs. The story of I Am Chippendales is a true one based on the book by Rodney Sheldon, it centers on: Steve Banerjee, an immigrant who went from pumping gas in Culver City to running a high-end nightclub that evolved into Chippendales. As the male-stripper concept became a...
- 3/31/2014
- by Niki Stephens
- JoBlo.com
Ben Stiller is eyeing a role in writer/director/producer Alan Ball's I Am Chippendales , Variety reports. Based on a manuscript by Rodney Sheldon, the film serves as a biopic of sorts for Paul Snider and Somen "Steve" Banerjee, the men who went through unlikely steps to form the popular nightclub franchise. Planned some years back for the late Tony Scott to direct, the project was then likened to Scott's True Romance and was said to chart the improbable rise and fall of Banerjee, who went from pumping gas in Culver City to running a high-end night club that evolved into Chippendales. After hiring a New York choreographer to polish the all-male dance troupe, Banerjee became wildly rich, as well as unreasonably competitive and paranoid. Stiller, who recently...
- 3/31/2014
- Comingsoon.net
Following years of combining supernatural fantasy with shirtless men, True Blood’s Alan Ball is moving on to two feature films that indulge both of his passions. Ball has scripted and will direct I Am Chippendales, an adaptation of the book and arrogant statement made by the late Rodney Sheldon—who was not a long-running successful male strip club, but rather just a man who wrote about its power-mad founder, Somen “Steve” Banerjee, an Indian immigrant who went from pumping gas to pimping beefcake, then went rich-person crazy and hired a hitman to kill his choreographer. The project has been ...
- 9/6/2013
- avclub.com
Exclusive: As he prepares to end his long running vampire series True Blood, Alan Ball has found two film projects to sink his teeth into for his big screen return. Ball has scripted and will next direct I Am Chippendales, an adaptation of the Rodney Sheldon book that sounds like a mix between Magic Mike and Scarface. Ball will then direct I Dream Of Gene, a broad comic tale that’s Ball’s contemporary take on the genie and the lamp. Chippendales tells the story of Steve Banerjee, an immigrant who went from pumping gas in Culver City to running a high-end nightclub that evolved into Chippendales. As the male stripper concept became a phenomenon in the 1980s at the height of the women’s lib movement, Banerjee was consumed by excess and competition. After hiring a New York choreographer to polish the all-male dance troupe, Banerjee became wildly rich,...
- 9/5/2013
- by MIKE FLEMING JR
- Deadline
Tony Scott is attached to direct a film about the rise and fall of Somen .Steve. Banerjee, the man who created Chippendales. He was eventually undone by excess and competition when the male strip clubs became a success in the 1980s. Scott is no stranger to 1980s/early 1990s excess as he directed "Top Gun," "Beverly Hills Cop II, " "Revenge, " "Days of Thunder, " and "The Last Boy Scout. " According to Variety, Scott and his Scott Free company will produce with David Permut's Permut Presentations and Firoz Nadiadwala.The script will be written by Lisa Schrager, who will adapt a manuscript written by Rodney Sheldon.The film is being financed from a private equity fund raised out of India by...
- 10/29/2009
- by Adnan Tezer
- Monsters and Critics
That's right, Variety reports Tony Scott, the man responsible for such adrenaline fueled action flicks as Deja Vu and Enemy of the State, is gearing up to bring some sex to the silver screen in the form of a biopic about the rise and fall of Chippendales club creator Steve Banerjee. The Scott Free banner will produce the Lisa Schraeger written script (she also wrote another sex driven bipoic chronicling the Heidi Fleiss story Pay the Girl for Nicole Kidman) which is being adapted from some sort of manuscript written by Rodney Sheldon. No cast have been announced, but with all the shirtless guys in Hollywood it can't be that difficult. The story of Banerjee has plenty of interesting ups and downs. After working at a Mobil gas station and a failed backgammon club (seriously?), Banerjee bought a Los Angeles club named Destiny II and turned it into a nightclub...
- 10/29/2009
- by Ethan Anderton
- firstshowing.net
This just in: Tony and Ridley Scott buy rights to make a movie about the Sun, the Earth, and everything that has existed upon it throughout human history. Seriously. The Scott family is becoming omnipresent.
The latest (and most ridiculous) news, which is only paralleled by Ridley Scott’s desire to make a film adaptation of the board game Monopoly, is that brother Tony Scott has been attached to direct a film based on the life of Steve Banerjee, the man who created Chippendales, a chain of male strip clubs that sort of symbolize the excess and absurdity of the 1980s in general.
In my head, I’m imagining something vaguely similar to Boogie Nights, shot with Scott’s excessive flair in a manner like Domino or The Taking of Pelham 123. I think my head might explode.
Lisa Schrager wrote the script, who, according to Variety, “penned the Heidi Fleiss...
The latest (and most ridiculous) news, which is only paralleled by Ridley Scott’s desire to make a film adaptation of the board game Monopoly, is that brother Tony Scott has been attached to direct a film based on the life of Steve Banerjee, the man who created Chippendales, a chain of male strip clubs that sort of symbolize the excess and absurdity of the 1980s in general.
In my head, I’m imagining something vaguely similar to Boogie Nights, shot with Scott’s excessive flair in a manner like Domino or The Taking of Pelham 123. I think my head might explode.
Lisa Schrager wrote the script, who, according to Variety, “penned the Heidi Fleiss...
- 10/29/2009
- by John Cooper
- Atomic Popcorn
Tony Scott his attached to helm a film which concerns the rise and fall of Steve Banerjee, the man responsible for creating Chippendales and how he was consumed by excess and competition when the male strip clubs became a phenomenon in the 1980s. Scott and his Scott Free banner produce along with David Permut's Permut Presentations and Firoz Nadiadwala. Follows the rise and fall of Banerjee, who went from pumping gas in Culver City to running a high-end nightclub that evolved into Chippendales. He hired a New York choreographer to polish the all-male dance troupe and became incredibly rich, paranoid and competitive. Banerjee went so far as to even hire a hitman to murder the choreographer when negotiations went sour. After being arrested, Banerjee died in jail while waiting for his trial. Lisa Schrager will write the script, adapting from the manuscript written by Rodney Sheldon.
- 10/29/2009
- Upcoming-Movies.com
Crappy headline I know but cut me some slack – it’s 7am and I’ve not long got up!
Tony Scott has been attached to direct a biopic of Steve Banerjee – the founder of the Chippendales! The film will chart the man’s rise and fall as he is consumed by success and excess during the act’s height in the 80’s.
Tony Scott will also produce the film with David Permut’s Permut Presentations and Firoz Nadiadwala.
The script has been written by “Pay the Girl” and “Gangsta Bitches” scribe, Lisa Schrager. The script will be adapted from a manuscript written by Rodney Sheldon. Sounding a bit bland so far? Variety has more:
With a tone similar to the Scott-directed “True Romance,” pic will follow the improbable rise and fall of Banerjee, who went from pumping gas in Culver City to running a high-end nightclub that evolved into Chippendales.
Tony Scott has been attached to direct a biopic of Steve Banerjee – the founder of the Chippendales! The film will chart the man’s rise and fall as he is consumed by success and excess during the act’s height in the 80’s.
Tony Scott will also produce the film with David Permut’s Permut Presentations and Firoz Nadiadwala.
The script has been written by “Pay the Girl” and “Gangsta Bitches” scribe, Lisa Schrager. The script will be adapted from a manuscript written by Rodney Sheldon. Sounding a bit bland so far? Variety has more:
With a tone similar to the Scott-directed “True Romance,” pic will follow the improbable rise and fall of Banerjee, who went from pumping gas in Culver City to running a high-end nightclub that evolved into Chippendales.
- 10/29/2009
- by Craig Sharp
- FilmShaft.com
Now this isn't the follow up to The Taking of Pelham 1 2 3 that I was expecting. Variety reports that Tony Scott has signed on to adapt the story of Chippendales founder Somen "Steve" Banerjee, who rose to fame in the 1980s (apparently the heyday of male strip clubs). The film will be written by Lisa Schrager, adapting a manuscript by Rodney Sheldon. Word is that Scott is aiming for a True Romance-esque vibe with this film, which seems like the sort of treatment that could make the film a bit more fun than a typical biopic. Honestly, considering Banerjee's claim to fame, a light tone seems more than appropriate (think The Informant!). The as-of-yet unnamed film will cover Banerjee's rise and fall---from being just another Indian immigrant operating a Mobil gas station, to owning a high end nightclub that would become Chippendales. The introduction of a professional...
- 10/29/2009
- by Devindra Hardawar
- Slash Film
IMDb.com, Inc. takes no responsibility for the content or accuracy of the above news articles, Tweets, or blog posts. This content is published for the entertainment of our users only. The news articles, Tweets, and blog posts do not represent IMDb's opinions nor can we guarantee that the reporting therein is completely factual. Please visit the source responsible for the item in question to report any concerns you may have regarding content or accuracy.