It’s been a busy 2022 for Owen Wilson. In just one calendar year, we’ve seen him playing Mobius in the TV series Loki , lending his vocal talents to Cars on the Road , and appeared in two movies — Secret Headquarters and Marry Me .
The point of this is that everyone seems to love some Owen Wilson goodness, so it should come as no surprise that the first official still from his upcoming film caused a bit of a stir when it leaked.
So…He’s Playing Bob Ross.
Many people who saw the post , myself included, probably thought that this was some kind of Bob Ross biopic. While Wilson’s character isn’t quite a dead ringer for the legendarily low-key painter, there are a few similarities: the glorious afro of hair, rustic backdrop, and of course, the style of the artwork — it’s covered with happy little trees.
The Screenplay Was Written Over A Decade Ago.
Paint, written by Brit McAdams, was on 2010’s Black List of the hottest unproduced screenplays. It spent the next 11 years in limbo until things finally came together with the 2021 announcement that Owen Wilson, Michaela Watkins, Wendi McLendon-Covey, Ciara Renée, Lusia Strus, and Stephen Root would appear in the film.
We’ve seen a few images of the shoot, which took place throughout early 2021 in Albany, New York. But we didn’t know anything about how Owen Wilson’s character would look.
Turns Out It Isn’t A Bob Ross Biopic.
It makes a lot more sense that the movie is more of an homage to Bob Ross than a direct reference. But based on the description, with its reference to his character’s “signature whisper,” it sounds like the character of Carl Nargle is very much a tribute to Bob Ross.
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It’ll Be Fun To See Wilson’s Version Of Bob Ross.
Anyone who’s seen 2021’s Bob Ross: Happy Accidents, Betrayal & Greed can tell you that it’s a bit of a bummer — while Bob Ross seems like he was a genuinely lovely person, it’s a shame that he was exploited by people who supposedly had his best interests at heart. Perhaps Paint can be a bit of a palate cleanser.
It Comes Out In 2023.
The film is currently in post-production and is expected to be released in 2023. A release date of April 2023 is rumored and would make sense given the production timeline, but isn’t confirmed just yet.
