I don't think people realize just how much damage was done to the WWE and the entire wrestling industry back in 2007. That was the year Chris Benoit, one of the industry's true greats and a veteran who had been wrestling for more than twenty years, brutally murdered his wife and son before taking his own life. The blowback from that event gave ammo to those who had been critical of the WWE's drug and steroid use policies, and what was seen as lax enforcement of regulations, especially when it came to their biggest stars, of which Benoit was one. On top of that, there was the issue of Benoit's mental health, as he'd suffered numerous concussions and other head trauma for years without taking much time off to heal. All of these factors were said to be factors in what he ultimately did, and Vince McMahon was held largely responsible.
I've been waiting for somebody to make a movie out of this story for a long time, and now it appears that time is here. SRG Films is planning an adaptation of Matthew Randazzo's book, Ring of Hell: The Story of Chris Benoit and the Fall of the Pro Wrestling Industry. Titled Crossface, the film will chronicle Benoit's hard road as a professional wrestling superstar, his battles with depression, drug and steroid use, and increased mental deterioration. The first draft of the script was written by Sarah Coulter. The plan is to begin shooting in the fall of 2012, and the search for a director and the principle cast has already begun.
I'll be very curious to see how this one pans out. Benoit's story is a complicated one, and there a lot of disturbing elements to it that stretch beyond the murder. He was best friends with beloved wrestling superstar, Eddie Guerrero, who died of heart failure some say was caused by extensive steroid use. Benoit's began seeing his second wife, Nancy Sullivan, while she was still married to his boss and frequent in-ring opponent, Kevin Sullivan, which led to altercations between the two. On the day of the murders, Benoit left copies of the Bible by the bodies before ultimately hanging himself.
You can bet that McMahon and the rest of the WWE shareholders don't want to see this film getting made. To be fair, they've made serious strides in the years since to clean up the drug and steroid use, and I feel like attempt to make amends has been sincere. And now just as they're coming out of the gloom, this film will dredge it all back up again.
