A feature film about the life of stand-up comedian Sam Kinison is finally materializing.  Deadline reports that Book of Mormon star Josh Gad has been tapped to play the preacher-turned-comedian in the biopic Kinison, and Borat and The Dictator director Larry Charles has signed on to take the helm.  Kinison started out following in his father’s footsteps as a Pentecostal preacher before eventually becoming a comedian, going on to find great success with his scream-hevy style.  Kinison battled drug and alcohol addiction during his rise to fame, but eventually got sober.  Unfortunately, at the age of 38 Kinison was killed in car collision with a drunk driver.

Kinison is an adaptation of Bill Kinison’s book Brother Sam and boasts a script penned by xXx scribe Rich Wilkes.  The film has been in development for years, with Tom Shadyac attached to direct for HBO Films at one point.  The story picks up in the 80s and follows Kinison’s transition from preacher to comedian.