Advertisement

Luke Wilson in talks to portray Roger Goodell in upcoming film about concussions

Perhaps his turn as Joe Bauers in the underrated Mike Judge-directed Idiocracy prepared Luke Wilson for the part. According to a report in The Wrap, the 43-year-old actor known primarily for his comedic roles is in talks to play NFL commissioner Roger Goodell. And after watching the 2006 film about an everyman who finds himself surrounded by dimwits 500 years in the future, you might see some similarities between Wilson's character and the real-life football honcho.

The untitled movie, produced by Ridley Scott and directed by Peter Landesman, is based on the 2009 GQ story by Jeanne Marie Laskas "Game Brain."  It follows the story of whistle-blowing forensic neuropathologist Dr. Bennet Omalu (who will be played by Will Smith) and his discovery of the link between chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE) and football.  The ensemble cast also includes Alec Baldwin, Albert Brooks and Paul Reiser.

Exactly how big a role Wilson will play in the film is unknown, but per The Wrap again:

Goodell is the incoming NFL commissioner who leads a summit to investigate the connection between playing football and CTE. He eventually recognizes the connection and donates huge amounts of money to scientific research.

The guy who once locked Jeremy Piven into a dumpster as the head of a $9 billion industry? Wilson can certainly play it straight.