The Laurel Leader-Call interviewed WWE Studios VP Michael Pavone about the company’s upcoming film projects, specifically the biopic on Gorgeous George Wagner. “It’s a passion project for Vince McMahon,” Pavone said. “(George) had such an influence on modern day wrestling in general and what we’ve come to know from WWE. But, he was also the
father of pop culture.”
He added: “People like James Brown, Muhammad Ali and Bob Dylan have given Gorgeous George a lot of credit for showing them the way. John Waters, Elton John and Liberace hearken back to things that Gorgeous George did. He became popular when TV was invented and the only thing on was wrestling and Uncle Milty.” The studio recently paid a six figure sum for the rights to turn John Capouya’s biography on George into a movie.
Capouya will be listed as co-producer along with George’s surviving daughter Carol and ex-wife Betty. An interesting note that I recently uncovered is that WWE trademarked the term ‘Gorgeous George’ back in June, 2009 which was before they first made contact with Capouya who later acted as a conduit to Carol and Betty. The film is expected to start pre-production in the first quarter of 2011.
(credit: The Wrestling Globe Newsletter)