In news that would make for one of the most left-field April Fools’ Day jokes, Rob Zombie is finally taking a break from horror and moving to… a biopic on Hollywood’s comedic actor Groucho Marx. Based on the Steve Stoliar memoir Raised Eyebrows: My Years Inside Groucho’s House, the script will come from Oren Moverman (Rampart, The Messenger) and specifically follow the final years of Marx’s life.
Framed from the point-of-view of a fan of the actor, it’ll feature Marx’s family, as well as other legendary talents such as Mae West, George Burns, Bob Hope, Jack Lemmon, S.J. Perelman, and Steve Allen. “I have been a huge Groucho Marx fan ever since I was a child and have read countless book on the comic legend, but after reading the book Raised Eyebrows, a totally new perspective on Groucho’s life emerged,” Zombie tells Deadline. “I immediately saw this project as Groucho’s Sunset Boulevard and knew I had to bring it to the big screen. It is a sad, funny and very dark tale of a one of Hollywood’s greatest stars final years.”
With clear passion for the artist, we have to admit we are intensely curious to see how his style translates to this material. In the meantime, check out the first image of his currently shooting horror feature 31. Featuring Malcolm McDowell as the villain mastermind behind the plot, featuring “five carnival workers who are kidnapped the night before Halloween and held hostage in a large secret compound known as Murder World. Once there, they have 12 hours to survive a terrifying game called 31 in which ‘The Heads’- murderous maniacs dressed as clowns – are released to hunt them down and kill them.”
What do you think of Zombie taking on the life of Marx?