Bill Simmons, the co-creator of ESPN’s 30 for 30, announced his next project this week: a documentary on the Eighth Wonder of the World.
Simmons, a lifelong wrestling fan, excitedly confirmed on Twitter this week that he will be working with HBO on a documentary on WWE legend André the Giant. It will be directed by Emmy winner (and Simmons’ former 30 for 30 colleague) Jason Hehir.
So happy to team up with @hbo and @wwe and Jason Hehir to make my dream sports documentary project – ANDRE THE GIANT. It's happening. pic.twitter.com/VCGmo3iHOz
Born André Roussimoff, the seven-foot-four wrestler ultimately suffered from a rare disorder known as acromegaly due to his gigantism, which led to his untimely death at 46.
In a statement, Simmons’ admiration for André is apparent: “Going back to 2007 and 2008 when I was creating and developing 30 for 30 for ESPN, André’s story rode the top of every single sports documentary wish list I ever made. We always hear about unicorns these days—André was the ultimate unicorn. He’s a true legend. Everyone who ever crossed paths with him has an André story—and usually four or five.”
Simmons isn’t kidding about the stories. While André’s history in the WWE (including a now-iconic fight against Hulk Hogan at Wrestlemania III) is well-documented, André was also infamous for causing chaos outside of the ring, often with alcohol involved. His Princess Bride co-star Cary Elwes has often recounted that André racked up a $40,000 bar tab while filming.
