American History X director Tony Kaye‘s upcoming film The Trainer officially enters production tomorrow after a winding development path that star and creator Vito Schnabel considered “incredible.” Ahead of the first day of production, Deadline reports that Stephen Dorff, John McEnroe, Gina Gershon, and Luke Sabbat are all on board to star alongside Schnabel in his original dark comedy. They’ll join fellow co-stars Julia Fox, Stephen Van Zandt, and Taylour Paige in the near-decade in the making production, but there’s currently no information on what roles the new additions will play.
The Trainer is based on a script from Schnabel and Jeff Solomon which centers on Jack (Schnabel), a down-on-his-luck personal trainer forced to move back in with his mother in Los Angeles. The film takes place over a chaotic eight-day span in which Jack tries his luck at finding fame and fortune and living his version of the American dream, albeit in a very maniacal, Pain & Gain-like manner. So far, details of the film are being kept under wraps, but we do know Schnabel and Kaye are joined by Jeremy Steckler on the production end with George Paaswell on board as an executive producer.
Dorff’s most prominent recent appearance was in Old Henry, a 2021 western from Potsy Ponciroli led by the likes of Tim Blake Nelson and Trace Adkins. He’s also known for his roles in the classic films Blade, Zoolander, and I’ll Find You, as well as the recent series Detective. The…
