“Macho Man” Randy Savage is finally getting the big-screen treatment. Artists for Artists, the production banner from Kenan Thompson and Johnny Ryan Jr., is developing Macho, a feature biopic on the legendary pro wrestler.
The project comes from a completed script by Savage’s brother, Lanny Poffo — who passed in 2023 — and Eric Shapiro. Thompson and Ryan Jr., both lifelong fans, will produce alongside Paul Coy Allen of Midas Entertainment Group, with Jonathon Davino (Immaculate), Cory Litwin, Boris Shvarts, and Monica Weber executive producing. Range Select is handling sales.
Born Randy Mario Poffo, Savage carved his way into wrestling history from the 1970s through the early 2000s. The son of wrestler and promoter Angelo Poffo, Savage originally pursued a baseball career, spending time in the farm systems for the Cardinals and Reds. A shoulder injury ended those dreams, but his pivot to wrestling birthed one of the most electrifying personas the sport has ever seen.
Savage signed with the WWF (now WWE) in the mid-’80s, where his unmatched intensity and flamboyant style made him a global icon. He later dominated in WCW, becoming a six-time World Heavyweight Champion. His signature voice, wild outfits, and larger-than-life energy helped make pro wrestling mainstream pop culture.
Stepping back in the early 2000s, Savage died suddenly of a heart attack in 2011 at just 58. He was posthumously inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame in 2015. While documentaries have explored his story, Macho marks the first narrative feature to take it on.
The news comes as Artists for Artists continues expanding its slate, following their announcement of a reimagining of the ’80s slasher Sleepaway Camp.