Russ Meyer Biopic in the works; Roger Ebert already has his thumbs up!

David O.Russell, director of award-winning right-hook boxing bio “The Fighter”, is negotiating with Fox Searchlight to direct a film based on B-movie legend Russ Meyer.

According to Deadline, Merritt Johnson, who at one time worked as O.Russell’s assistant, wrote the script for the film, which is said to be partly based on the book ”Big Bosoms And Square Jaws: The Biography Of Russ Meyer, King Of The Sex Film.”

Meyer of course was one of the kings of exploitation cinema, with such efforts as “Faster Pussycat, Kill Kill” and “Up!” to his name. Meyer fulfilled his longstanding ambition to direct for a major Hollywood studio in 1970 when he struck a deal with Fox to direct ”Beyond the Valley of the Dolls”, scripted by film critic (and Meyer devotee) Roger Ebert.

With the heat from “The Fighter”, O.Russell’s no longer having to fight tooth and nail to get something made, instead, studios are now coming to him – as is the case here.

Considering O.Russell usually makes room for Mark Wahlberg in his films, one has to wonder who he’d play in this – – surely not Meyer?