Movie About Barry Sheene
The wild and crazy life of two-time world champion motorcycle racer Barry Sheene is being developed into a feature-length film by a joint British-Australian film production. Simply titled Sheene, it should be funny, dramatic and exciting film depicting the funny, dramatic and exciting life of the racer.So far only a teaser video has been released on Youtube. Filming has not yet started, there is no timeline for the film's release and no announcement has been made about who will play the lead character.
Sheene is based on his biography Barry: The Story of Motorcycling Legend Barry Sheene, written by his teammate Steve Parrish and MotoGP commentator Nick Harris. IO Films Australia and Deep Spring Pictures UK are still developing the film with a script from Ian La Frenais and Dick Clement who previously scripted the Commitments, The Bank Job, Flushed Away and Across the Universe as well as TV series Auf Wiedersehen, Pet and Lovejoy.
Barry Sheene was well loved in his native Birtain as well as his adopted Australia. He was born in London in 1950, and was back-to-back world 500cc champion for Suzuki in 1976-77 after a spectacular crash at the Daytona 200 in 1975. He almost died in the crash that would have ended many other riders careers, yet he came back stronger than ever and more determined to win.
He was a talented racer and tough competitor whose titanic battles with American Kenny Roberts are legendary. The Cockney larrikin and playboy also lived a crazy off-track life and counted rock stars Ringo and George Harrison as his friends.
His racing style and partying lifestyle was credited with bringing motorcycle racing to a more mainstream audience. Barry should also be credited with improving the safety of tracks and the development of the first motorcycle back armor.
He won 23 Grand-Prixs and retired in 1984 to move to Australia where he was a TV sports commentator, property developer and well known for his series of Shell advertising with similarly laconic racing driver Dick Johnson. Barry Sheene died of cancer at the age of 52 in 2003.
Sheene producer, Will Stoppard, says he was addicted by the thrill of speed growing up with his mother as racetrack doctor. 'It's a rush to be making a movie about Barry Sheene – bringing his story and legacy to the big screen,' he says.Tag: Barry Sheene Movie Biography Grand-Prix Racing Steve Parrish Kenny Roberts Nick Harris History
