Chris Benoit biopic ‘Crossface’ finds its director in Lexi Alexander

It’s hard to know exactly how to feel about a Chris Benoit biopic. There was a time when Benoit was a fan favorite, adored sometimes because of who he was but often because of who he wasn’t.

He wasn’t traditionally good looking. He wasn’t a behemoth like so many superstars of the sport. He didn’t seem to have much of a personality. And yet all of that is what made him so likable. He made up for what he lacked by becoming one of the best technical wrestlers in the business and putting on amazing performances one after another until even the WWE couldn’t deny what a star he was.

And then…

As despicable as the acts that ended his life were, the entirety of that life is a fascinating story of unexpected success and unimagined horrors in an unforgiving business that he ultimately loved too much. It’s the perfect recipe for a biopic and it’s no surprise that one has been in development for years.

It’s also no surprise that the movie has been a tough sell in all that time. The WWE obviously wants nothing to do with it. Reports of Liev Schreiber being attached to play Benoit were unfounded. For a year, there wasn’t any more progress on the film.

Now comes word that that Lexi Alexander has been brought on board to direct the film, titled Crossface, a double-meaning nod to Benoit’s submission move The Crippler Crossface. Alexander is no stranger to movies about damaged men as she directed the cult favorite Punisher: War Zone as well as Green Street Hooligans. She’s also directed episodes of Arrow, Supergirl, and Limitless. She is also a former World Karate Association world champion, so she’s no stranger to the world of one-on-one physical competition.

The film will use a script written by Jake Goldberger and Sarah Coulter, which is itself based on Matthew Randazzo’s book Ring of Hell: The Story of Chris Benoit & the Fall of the Pro Wrestling Industry. Randazzo is also one of the executive producers on the film.

[Variety]