Paul Potts movie

It’s Rocky: The Musical! Well, not really, but it is the story of an underdog who rose to the top via a talent other than punching. Many of you may have seen this inspiring video of Paul Potts on the first season of “Britain’s Got Talent,” where the mobile phone salesman busts out an epic operatic singing voice out of nowhere, despite looking like well, a mobile phone salesman. So how did the movie version of this story come to pass?

Simon Cowell is producing the project along with Mike Menchel, who helped discover Potts when his daughter watched a YouTube video of the everyman hero, as well as Menchel’s Relevant Pictures partner Steve Whitney. Weston helped steer the project when he was an exec at Paramount, and it was one of several he took with him when he segued to a producer deal on the lot.

Oh really, Menchel’s daughter “helped discover Potts” by watching a YouTube video that FIFTY SEVEN MILLION other people have seen? Good work there kid. You’ve got a real eye.

I first thought this project was going to be a documentary of sorts, but it’s not, it’s an actual drama where Potts is not playing himself, and casting is set to begin shortly.

Now, I have to start wondering, will we begin to see other movies based on YouTube phenomena? There are only so many board games and toys to option, and I foresee a Boxxy feature film in the not-too-distant future.