Emile Hirsch to star in John Belushi biopic

Officially announced Monday:

http://insidemovies.ew.com/2013/10/28/emile-hirsch-cast-as-john-belushi/

Film will be co-executive produced by Dan Aykroyd.

After years of guys like Jack Black being linked to this film, this is definitely an out-of-the-box choice. Hirsch is a really good actor, though. I just hope he goes the full DeNiro and gains the weight, rather than just uses makeup/a fat suit.

For comparison's sake (my first inclination is that he's too good-looking):

 

Jack Black is too old to play Belushi.

Black is 44, Belushi died at 33.

It's a great choice. Hirsch is a great actor who, for whatever reason hasn't become the star that he probably should be.

 

Michael Chiklis - long before The Shield - played Belushi in Wired, the 1989 adaption of the biography by Bob Woodward.

An awful film but weirdly interesting. Youtube has it for free:

 

This is no more outside the box than casting Jim Carrey as Andy Kaufman, at the time. And that turned out pretty well.

 

I agree about Black. Maybe 10 years ago, but him playing Belushi now would be nearly as distracting as 40-something Kevin Spacey playing 22-year-old Bobby Darin (who was dead at 37).

 

I wondered what happened to Hirsch. He was everywhere a few years back, Speed Racer, Into the Wild, Milk - and then?

 

Isn't Hirsch a little small to play Belushi?

 

Yes, but he'd presumably gain weight or use a fat suit.

Height-wise, Belushi was 5-8 and Hirsch is 5-7.

 

Oh, I didn't know Belushi was that short.

 

Belushi also wasn't nearly as fat as people seem to think. He was heavy, but never at the level of a Chris Farley or the other heavier comedians who are sometimes compared to him. I think I read the heaviest Belushi ever was was 225, which is only slightlier heavier than Jack Black is now,

 

This had damn well better make up for "Wired."

 

No doubt it will be a B movie.