'You've Got to Be Kidding': Upcoming O.J. Simpson Biopic Reaches New Low for Hollywood, Depicts Him as Innocent
A new movie in the works portrays the late O.J. Simpson as innocent of the killings of his wife Nicole Brown Simpson and her friend Ronald Goldman.
Although Simpson, who died April 10, was found not guilty of the murders, he went to his grave with the taint of presumed guilt clinging to him. Public perception had condemned Simpson, despite what the courts had determined.
Despite that perception, The Hollywood Reporter says a long-dormant project about Simpson has come back to life as “The Juice.”
A movie that depicts OJ Simpson as innocent of the murders he committed might be the most ridiculous and insane movie plots I’ve read in a long time:
— Opie (@AyoCarl) April 24, 2024
According to IMDB, the storyline is that “Douglas McCann, a street-smart LA attorney, risks everything when conspiracy theorists draw him into the divisive O.J. Simpson saga in this satirical thriller.”
Director Joshua Newton said the major stumbling block in the film, which started life in 2015 as a project called “Nicole and O.J.” was finding the perfect actor to play McCann.
“Owen Wilson was perfect for the role,” Newton said.
“I actually had a meeting with him in Santa Monica. Everybody loved the script. His agent wanted him to do it. We offered him $12 million,” he said.
I would totally watch a movie about OJ being innocent *if* it was a slapstick comedy of errors/purposeful parody.
— Christian Jones (@Xian1889) April 24, 2024
But the actor said the plot was stretching things a bit too far.
“But at the end of the lunch, Owen stood up and said, ‘If you think I’m going to take the lead role in a movie about how O.J. didn’t do it, you’ve got to be kidding me,’” Newton said.
“The Juice” — a movie examining O.J. Simpson’s innocence during his 1995 murder trial — was pitched to Owen Wilson. The director of “The Juice” details how the star reacted to the offer.https://t.co/sYVqeuBYgs pic.twitter.com/OTf63NiLEh
— Forbes Entertainment (@ForbesEnt) April 24, 2024
Newton hopes to release the film on Oct. 3, 2025, which would the 30th anniversary of the day Simpson was found not guilty.
Newton says about 30 minutes of the film is completed, mostly shots including actress Charlotte Kirk who plays Nicole Brown Simpson and Boris Kodjoe, who plays O.J.
In 2020, a report in the Hollywood Reporter said the project, which was half-finished at the time, was mired in a legal quagmire.
WARNING: The following trailer contains imagery that some viewers may find disturbing.
A somewhat bizarre teaser for the movie exists with Simpson shown in what appears to be an electric chair.
“[F]eel better now?” the teaser says. “[Y]ou haven’t seen anything yet.”
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