Ashok Amritraj’s Hyde Park Entertainment, Image Nation Abu Dhabi, and WWE Studios (NYSE:WWE) announced Wednesday that they are joining hands to co-produce a comedy with the temporary working title, Untitled Celebrity Death Pool.
Ken Jeong (The Hangover, Community) has signed on to star in the satire which centers on a struggling nightclub owner who after amassing a large debt from a loan shark, sets out to win his long-running celebrity death pool by attempting to kill his chosen celebrity, David Hasselhoff.
Darren Grant (Diary Of A Mad Black Woman) will direct from a script written by Peter Hoare.
In addition to Hasselhoff, legendary WWE Hall of Famer Hulk Hogan and an increasing number of other celebrities have signed on for various supporting roles and cameo appearances.
Pre-production for the film commences this September in Los Angeles, with a theatrical release anticipated for 2015.
WWE Studios president Michael Luisi and Hyde Park’s Amritraj are producing the picture along with Hasselhoff, Michele Berk, Patrick Hughes and Warren Zide.
Eric Gardner is Executive Producing. Hyde Park International will handle international sales with WWE Studios set to leverage its multi-platform reach to promote the film.
Bradley Buchanan, SVP of Business Affairs, negotiated the deal on behalf of WWE Studios and Allen Babakhanloo, VP of Business Affairs, negotiated the deal on behalf of Hyde Park Entertainment.
Jeong is currently shooting Ride Along 2 with Ice Cube and Kevin Hart for Universal Pictures.
Hyde Park Entertainment Group, founded by chairman and CEO Ashok Amritraj, is an independent alternative to the traditional Hollywood studio system. Hyde Park’s offerings encompass live-action, animation and cross-cultural cinema.
Amritraj’s Hyde Park and Image Nation Abu Dhabi partnered in November 2008 on a $250 million financing deal to develop, produce, and distribute up to 20 feature films over seven years.
WWE Studios develops and produces feature films, as well as television and digital content.
