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Finally, There's a 'Definitive' John DeLorean Biopic Coming

by Ethan Anderton
February 25, 2010

Who knows just how many projects have gone into development with the intention of telling the story of automaker John DeLorean (the creator of the car that became, arguably, the most famous cinematic time machine ever made) but haven't exactly been active in development. Now it sounds like one might finally get made, as THR reports DeLorean's daughter, Kathryn, is partnering with Nine/8 Entertainment, Evolution Entertainment and agent-turned-producer Michael Menchel to bring a script from Thomas Fenton (Saw IV) to the big screen that, apparently, "is the definitive John DeLorean movie." But sadly, no time travel.

Several DeLorean projects have been gestating (even a documentary, Back to the DeLorean, with Kathryn's support on the way) but the surviving daughter of the DMC-12 legacy says these are the guys to get it right. "Other producers have asked me to back their projects on behalf of the DeLorean estate. We felt this was the team to tell the right story the right way. We wanted to ensure my father's story was handled properly; the headlines do not begin to tell the tale." But we still don't know who will direct this automaker's grand story.

Meanwhile, DeLorean's son and estate executor, Zachary, is behind a completely different biopic with XYZ Films, Time Inc. Studios and producer Tamir Ardon who are working from a script by writers Rob Warr and Alex Holmes (who is also directing the flick). In addition, there are two more DeLorean biopics in the works: one from producer David Permut (Youth in Revolt) and another from Brett Ratner's Rat Entertainment that has a screenplay written by filmmaker James Toback (Bugsy, Tyson) about the maverick automaker.

While the story is certainly interesting, do we really need four different versions? DeLorean's tale begins when he left his executive job at General Motors to launch the DeLorean Motor Co., which manufactured his DMC-12s in Northern Ireland throughout the late 1970s and early 1980s. An FBI sting operation led to an accusation of drug trafficking against John DeLorean that eventually resulted in an acquittal, but not before his company went bankrupt after making only 9,000 cars. Like I said, it's interesting, but we don't need this many movies about him. Unless we can have a biopic face-off the likes of which are only seen in Hollywood doubles a la Dante's Peak vs. Volcano or The Prestige vs The Illusionist. Cinematic cage-match! Anyone?

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