Skip to main content

Mike Myers' improv biopic 'Del' may film in Cleveland this summer

Del Close and  Mike Myers
Clevelanders, keep an eye out for comedy legend Mike Myers. He may shoot his new film, Del, in and around the city this summer.


The film applied for Ohio’s Motion Picture Tax Credit in mid-March. The production will spend 58 days in the state, according to the application, including 28 days of on-location work, hiring 602 local filmmakers.

Del tells the true story of Second City improv guru and teacher Del Close. Close mentored many modern comedy stars, including Myers, along with Gilda Radner, Tina Fey, Bill Murray, Stephen Colbert, Chris Farley and many more. Close appeared in a number of films in minor roles, including American Graffiti, Ferris Bueller’s Day Off and The Untouchables. He also appeared in Light of Day, which shot in Cleveland in 1986.


“Mike Myers is a comedy genius and the perfect actor to inhabit this complicated, funny, poignant character,” Producer Paul Hanson said in a statement. Myers is best known for the films Austin Powers: International Man of Mystery and Shrek. “A pioneer of his craft, Close has passed his knowledge of humor and improv to the group of comedians that everyone knows today and this hilarious script examines that intimate relationship with his students that has made them so successful.”

Betty Thomas, also one of Close’s students, is set to direct. The film is produced by Hanson and Covert Media, along with Thomas, Diane Alexander, Robert Teitel, and Ron West. Andrew Alexander, Elissa Friedman, Sasha Shapiro, Anton Lessine, and Chris Henze will serve as executive producers.

An application for Ohio’s film tax credit is only an indicator of intent and does not a guarantee a film will shoot in the state in the stated time frame or at all.

Comments

Popular Posts

Everything we know about ‘Superman’ filming in Cleveland and Cincinnati, Ohio

The iconic Daily Planet globe on set in Cleveland, Ohio >>  Superman , under the guise of Genesis , was among the films awarded 2024 film tax incentives by the Ohio Department of Development. The Warner Bros. movie was one of 23 film, television, and theater projects awarded incentives through the Ohio Motion Picture Tax Credit Program. Superman, formally titled  Superman: Legacy , kicks off writer/director James Gunn’s DC Universe . Here’s everything we know about the production. Superman creators Jerry Siegel and Joe Shuster, caricatured by Shuster Superman  will film on location in Cleveland and Cincinnati Superman  will film in Cleveland and Cincinnati, according to OhioData . On-location work in Cleveland is expected to start June 17 and last through July 16, according to an April 23 casting call from Angela Boehm Casting. Neither Warner Bros. , the Greater Cleveland Film Commission  (GCFC), nor Film Cincinnati have issued an official announcement regarding the movie. Howe

Home, Sweetest Day, Home: On location in Warren, Ohio, with 'Sweetest Day'

Nate Boyer as the Sheriff, preparing for a scene in 'Sweetest Day' On a cold night in November 2023, I find myself in Warren, Ohio, about an hour east of Cleveland. It’s quiet in the small town, save for a handful of filmmakers carrying equipment and thumbing through scripts as they hurry from their Best Western basecamp to the rustic diner around the corner, The Saratoga . There, fellow crew members are crowding around a booth near the cash register, adjusting lights, checking sound, and peering at monitors to make sure the scene they’re about to film is framed just right. Seated on one side is actor Nate Boyer , dressed as a sheriff. Across from him sits actress Morgana Shaw , easing into her character. When the camera rolls, Shaw’s character lays into the Sheriff, warning him of dire things to come this Sweetest Day , if he doesn’t take things seriously. It’s a pivotal scene that plays out before a handful of curious diners, likely unaware they’d be treated to a show this e

Two Disney films - 'Ella McCay,' 'Eenie Meanie' - and M. Night Shyamalan feature ‘Trap’ among Ohio Film Credit award recipients

Samara Weaving will star in 'Eenie Meanie,' shooting in Cleveland > > > Two Disney films, Ella McCa y and Eenie Meanie , and M. Night Shyamalan’s next feature film, Trap , were among eight recipients of Ohio’s Motion Picture Tax Credit program, announced at the end of July. Projects selected by Ohio’s Motion Picture Tax Credit program receive a refundable tax credit of 30% on production cast and crew wages, as well as other in-state expenditures. The eligibility criteria encompass a wide spectrum of creative endeavors, including feature-length films, documentaries, pre-Broadway productions, miniseries, video games, and music videos. Four other projects, encompassing an array of genres and narratives, were awarded production tax credits, as well. The program’s goal is to act as a powerful catalyst, encouraging both in-state and out-of-state filmmakers to choose Ohio as the canvas for their artistic endeavors. All eight awardees include: Samara Weaving in 'Ready or