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| 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.
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