Alex A. Ginzburg and Tony Lee of Let It Play announced today that Academy Award nominated filmmaker Lexi Alexander has signed on to direct the true story of wrestler Chris Benoit. Based on the book, “Ring of Hell: The Story of Chris Benoit & the Fall of the Pro Wrestling Industry” by Matthew Randazzo V, “Crossface” will tell the story of WWE superstar Chris Benoit as he struggles to maintain his family life, while the pressures of wrestling cause him to spiral out of control. Benoit was a well respected, world champion wrestler, who, over the course of a weekend in June 2007, murdered his wife and son before taking his own life. It was later discovered that Benoit was posthumously diagnosed with CTE, severe brain degeneration, believed to be associated with his career as a wrestler. Alexander will direct from a script by Jake Goldberger and Sarah Coulter. Alex A. Ginzburg and Tony Lee will produce for Let It Play. Executive Producers are Ram Getz and Matthew Randazzo V.
Director Lexi Alexander states, “I was pretty certain I’d stay in TV rather than returning to the feature world, because the material just seems so much better in TV, especially in drama, but then ‘Crossface’ came my way. A heartbreaking, true story about the dark side of wrestling…I couldn’t say no to that.”
Lexi Alexander is an Academy Award Nominee for her short film “Johnny Flynton.” Her film “Green Street Hooligans,” starring Elijah Wood and Charlie Hunnam, was the second film ever at SXSW to win both the Best of the Fest and a Special Jury Award. She became the first woman to direct a major comic book film when she took on “Punisher: War Zone,” based on the Marvel superhero. More recently, Lexi has directed episodes of series including “Limitless,” “Supergirl” and “Arrow.” Alexander is also a World Karate and Kickboxing Champion and an expert in mixed martial arts.
Through Let It Play, Alex A. Ginzburg and Tony Lee’s producing credits include Lee Kirk’s upcoming film “Geezer,” starring Billie Joe Armstrong, Selma Blair and Judy Greer, set for a theatrical release later this year, and Jake Goldberger’s “Holding Patterns” starring Freddie Highmore, Odeya Rush and Christopher Meloni, currently in post-production. The pair also executive produced “Hardcore Henry” which won the People’s Choice Award in the Midnight Madness category at last year’s Toronto International Film Festival, and was released in theaters earlier this year.
