The William Hicks biopic is getting off the ground, apparently, and Crowe is aiming to direct it. I had no idea that Russell Crowe wanted to make a Bill Hicks movie, let alone that he was a fan of the mad genius.

Boing Boing:

I’m gonna say this right now: What you’re about to read is a wonderful idea. Russell Crowe, whose name was thrown around at one point to play late comedian Bill Hicks in a biopic, has now said he’d rather make his directorial debut with a different actor in the leading role. There’s something about that turn of events that seems so classy for some weird reason, but it also makes me think that Crowe is a big Bill Hicks fan, and I love finding out that famous people are fans of things. But back in reality-land: production on this movie could start as soon as early 2013. Casting will certainly be a very interesting process, and that coveted role will most likely go to a British guy. (Not that there’s anything wrong with that.)

A movie about Bill Hicks, who died of pancreatic cancer in 1994 when he was just 32, has been in the works for a while, going back to when Crowe was a contender to play him himself. But now, after the screenplay has gone through the ringer a few times, Crowe is a little old (48) to play Hicks (though he probably would have been great). In a rare display of non-vanity, however, the Oscar-winner still seems very attached to this project (both in the emotional, passionate sense and the professional, official sense) and wants to step behind the camera to see Hicks’ story told.

In the mean time, if you haven’t see the Bill Hicks documentary, American: The Bill Hicks Story, get on it.