‘Pandemonium’ Will Give WWE’s Vince McMahon the Full Biopic Treatment, Maybe a Full Nelson Too
Pandemonium, the story of longtime World Wrestling Entertainment chairman and CEO Vince McMahon, is on the way, from the creative team behind...This Is Us? It may seem like an odd pairing, but Glenn Ficarra and John Requa, who exec-produce the hit NBC dramedy, are deep in talks to direct a highly regarded script by Craig A. Williams.
If you think about it though, it does make some sense. Both This Is Us and the WWE feature a ton of melodrama in their storytelling, they just do it in different ways. One utilizes heavy doses of tear-jerking family histrionics, while the other employs musclebound men in tights screaming at and body-slamming each other inside steel cages. See? Pretty much the same thing.
Anyway, the movie itself does have quite an intriguing main event character to explore. Vince McMahon, now 71, has led a fascinating life, and right now he’s as big (and rich and powerful, which we’re sure he’d want us to mention) as he's ever been — a billionaire entrepreneur and performer with massive global name recognition, who's known for spectacular achievements in the field of sports entertainment, a term he coined himself. His life story practically begs for the big-screen biopic treatment.
McMahon followed in the footsteps of his father, who he didn’t even meet until age 12, into the world of professional wrestling, which was at the time a regionally divided set of companies all doing their own thing. Within several years, McMahon’s WWE had become the single dominant force in the industry, a title it still holds. It's not exactly rags-to-riches, but you get the idea.
Then there was that time he started his own professional football league, the XFL, to compete with the NFL. That may have failed utterly, but the whole saga would be worthy of a feature film all on its own. In Pandemonium, it ought to make for a nice Act Two subplot.
Oh yeah, and there was also that time he got into a feud with the man who would later become President of the United States, lost, and got his head shaved on live television:
(Interestingly, both McMahon and Donald Trump share the same catchphrase: “You're fired.” Clearly this discovery will be the crux of the film, much like when Batman decided not to kill Superman in Dawn of Justice because their moms share the name Martha.)
We can expect lots of cameos from WWE stars from throughout the years, but one big question now looms over Pandemonium’s production: Just how much of a role will Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson have? Johnson, now the world’s highest-paid actor, owes much, if not all, of his fame and success to his time with McMahon’s WWE. That’s something Johnson obviously hasn't forgotten, as evidenced by his frequent returns to the squared circle, which he certainly doesn't need to do anymore.
Pandemonium doesn’t have a release date yet (or a cast or an official synopsis), but it's definitely one to keep your eye on, whether you prefer sentimental family drama or a well-executed piledriver.