Axelle/Bauer-Griffin/FilmMagic(LOS ANGELES) — Dave Franco has found his new project, portraying a young Vanilla Ice in the upcoming movie To The Extreme.

Franco, 35, spilled the beans during an interview with Insider when discussing his directorial debut on another movie, The Rental.

“We have been in development for a while but we are inching closer and closer to preproduction,” the actor dished; confirming that the 90s rap sensation will be the focus of a new biopic.

Franco attests that, should the project follow the right formula and be handled with respect, it’ll be just as successful as the film he co-directed with his older brother James Franco — the Oscar-nominated The Disaster Artist.

“With that movie, people expected us to make a broad comedy where we make fun of Tommy Wiseau, but the more real we played it, the funnier and heartfelt it was — that’s the tone we want for this one as well,” the younger Franco noted. 

While COVID-19 has production shut down for the moment, the Now You See Me star says he’s been using his time getting to know Vanilla Ice — real name Rob Van Winkle — as a person.

“Rob is such a sweet and intelligent guy and he’s been super helpful in the process of getting all the details correct and making us privy to information the public doesn’t know,” he revealed. “Just talking to him I can’t help but think about the rabbit holes I’m going to go down to get ready for the role.”

To the Extreme was previously summarized by Production Weekly last year as “From a high school dropout selling cars in Dallas to having the first hip-hop single to top the Billboard charts with ‘Ice Ice Baby,’ a young Vanilla Ice struggles with stardom, extortion attempts, and selling out as he makes music history.”

By Megan Stone
Copyright © 2020, ABC Audio. All rights reserved.