WWE News and Updates 2016: Chris Benoit Biopic 'Crossface' in the Works; How Will His Life Be Shown in a Movie
Chris Benoit is undoubtedly one of the best professional wrestlers in recent history. He was a fearsome entity in the WWE, as strong as he is intelligent. He is hailed as the master technician, a great worker in the ring, pursuing his opponents with well-thought-out maneuvers turning into submission holds.
However, his legacy and future in the company were jeopardized by an event that shook the WWE Universe. In June 2007, Benoit killed his family and himself inside their home.
The murder-suicide led Vince McMahon and WWE to distance themselves from Benoit, and not since the three-hour Raw tribute to the superstar's life nine years ago would he be shown on national television.
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Recently, however, rumors floated that The Rabid Wolverine's life would be portrayed in a movie. The plan is no longer a fantasy as there are news of such a film entitled "Crossface" being in the works.
Retelling the story
Since WWE removed almost all of Benoit's traces in sports entertainment, save for his matches in the WWE Network, this is the first time his story would be made public beyond wrestling news outfits. The film had been rumored since 2011 and the last time people heard about it was that Liev Schreiber could be cast as Benoit.
The latest update, however, reveals that the film is indeed happening, with Lexi Alexander—director of Punisher: War Zone—set to helm the project. Alexander also prompted fans via Twitter to await a press release.
Crossface, or the Crippler Crossface to be exact, was Benoit's signature submission maneuver. It was also the move that won him his first World Heavyweight Championship at WrestleMania XX, forcing Triple H to tap out and hand him the belt.
What WWE wanted forgotten
Benoit had been in the profession for more than two decades when the event happened. He was the No. 1 contender for the ECW World Championship at the time and was set to battle for the title at the Vengeance pay-per-view.
Benoit, however, missed the event due to a "family emergency." However, when police eventually checked his home, they found the asphyxiated bodies of his wife Nancy and son Daniel. Benoit had hanged himself using a weight machine.
The superstar's crimes were largely attributed to brain damage. His autopsy revealed that his brain resembled that of an 85-year-old with Alzheimer's disease, having accumulated countless concussions during his long, treacherous career in wrestling.
