Unauthorised Shane Warne biopic to highlight his women

Shane Warne will likely be rolling in his grave following news an unauthorised biopic about the sensational and scandalous life of the late spin king is now in full swing, writes Annette Sharp.

Shane Warne will likely be rolling in his grave following news an unauthorised biopic about the sensational and scandalous life of the late spin king is now in full swing.

Six weeks after Warne’s untimely death at age 52, Nine/Stan is in pre-production for a miniseries based on the cricketer’s life which is being fast-tracked in the hope of capitalising on international interest in Warne’s hastily examined death.

(Thai authorities reported the retired cricketer died of natural causes while local media have speculated he had a heart attack).

The news has piqued the attention of Nine’s main rival Seven which spruiked its own Warne biopic in 2016 before aborting the project a year later after scripts fell short of expectations – a telling statement from the media company that greenlit the woeful Olivia Newton John miniseries and the low-rating Paul Hogan biopic that same year.

Sources at Seven last week confirmed the network’s lawyers are keeping a close eye on Nine’s new project in the event Nine recycles material Seven commissioned five years ago for its abandoned venture with production company Screentime, now Banijay.

Former cricketer Shane Warne with his then fiancee British actress and model Liz Hurley. Picture: AFP

That script was written by screenwriter Matt Ford.

“They might owe us some money if they are using the same scripts…,” a Seven exec said archly before pointing out Nine’s failure to broadcast Warne’s memorial on its primary channel last month was a ratings boon for Seven.

Warne with then-wife Simone.

Warne with then-fiancee Simone Callahan.

Instrumental in influencing Seven’s decision to ditch the biopic, which had the working title “Warnie”, was Warne’s own vehement opposition to it.

The program had been pitched to the market as a “sexscapade” adventure.

The synopsis, published by Seven in its 2017 Upfronts document, read: “Shane Warne is a walking tabloid headline. Women, parties, women, high-life and women… As he rolled from scandal to scandal he was also, through all this, the greatest cricketer of his generation.”

Nine reportedly started sniffing around the project as soon as Seven dumped it.

Lisa McCune, Eddie Perfect and Christie Whelan in Shane Warne the Musical.

A Nine spokeswoman on Friday wouldn’t confirm whether Banijay, now affiliated with Endemol Shine, was producing the biopic – representing a possible conflict of interest for Seven.

Nine drama boss Andy Ryan said of the show, which will likely air next year: “Warnie’s life was so full of drama, like the man himself. This miniseries will be larger than life – entertaining, confronting, thought provoking.”

Casting for the miniseries has been under way for a month with three roles pivotal to the drama.

They are the roles of Warne, his wife Simone, and Warne’s one-time fiancee, Liz Hurley.

Warne with then-fiance Elizabeth Hurley.

Warne with Hurley at Ascot Racecourse in England.

Also central to the drama is a circle of high profile cricketers, sportsmen and businessmen with whom Warne was tight, notably media owner Kerry Packer, who sacked Warne from Nine just months before Packer died in 2005 following Warne’s latest sexting scandal, and James Packer who opened a nightclub in Warne’s honour at Crown Casino Melbourne.

Nine’s interest in the subject stems largely from the success of the 2012 miniseries Howzat! Kerry Packer’s War which starred Lachy Hulme in the role of Packer Sr.

In the interests of continuity, Hulme could once again be called upon to pad up to play the media mogul in the new miniseries.

Merv Hughes.

27 Merv Hughes and Shane Warne at David Hookes’ funeral.

Other castings, at this time, remain a closely guarded secret yet speculation is rife about who will sign on for the production.

This columnist believes the producers will struggle to go past Hugo Johnston-Burt (Cloudstreet, Mr Inbetween) for the role of Warne, Rose Byrne (Physical, Mrs America) for Hurley (though a high profile Brit would also work) and Rachael Taylor (Red Dog, Jessica Jones) for what promises to be the most challenging role, as Warne’s disabused wife Simone, the mother of his three children.

In the role of Warne’s faithful blokey wingmen, we can expect producers to have an ensemble of quirky Aussie actors in their sights for roles as Merv Hughes, St Kilda player Aaron Hamill, and legendary AFL playboys Dermott Brereton, Brendan Fevola and Sam Newman. Newman, one mustn’t forget, brought the tone down immeasurably at the recent Eddie McGuire showcase when he pondered aloud on the current location of Warne’s phone and its contents, notably a collection of much-viewed “incredible” photographs.