Steve McQueen Returning to the Big Screen (Sort Of)

The action hero so tough, not even death can stop him!

by | August 22, 2007 | Comments

He was nicknamed “The King of Cool” during his Hollywood career, and even more than 25 years after his death, Steve McQueen still has enough pull to rate a biopic. Variety is reporting that producer Kevin Kasha has purchased the film rights to My Husband, My Friend, the memoir written by McQueen’s first wife, Neile McQueen Toffel, about their 16-year marriage.

Though he’s mainly remembered today for his squinty tough-guy roles in such classic films as Bullitt and The Magnificent Seven, McQueen was a fascinating character behind the scenes, too — he was, among other things, a rumored target of Charles Manson’s; a pallbearer at Bruce Lee‘s funeral; a diehard political conservative who refused an opportunity to join the 1963 Civil Rights March; and, supposedly, the guy who got Chuck Norris to take acting classes.

McQueen even died interestingly, heading to Mexico after being diagnosed with liver cancer and undergoing various unorthodox treatments, including coffee enemas. Admittedly, we haven’t read Toffel’s book, so we have no idea how much or how little of McQueen’s amazing off-screen life will make it into the project — but what’s really interesting at this point is the question of how in the world the filmmakers will go about casting the lead role. Seriously, who can play Steve McQueen?

Source: Variety