The New Biopic on Gene Wilder
Dito Montiel has been given the significant task of bringing the life of the legendary Gene Wilder to the big screen. On November 12, 2025, an authorized biopic on Gene Wilder’s life was officially announced by Intrinsic Value Films, the same production company that produced Queen of the Ring, a sports biopic about wrestler Mildred Burke. Now, they are venturing into the biography of an iconic actor and performer.
Since November, the biopic, which was in the developmental phase, has received its first update, which is the inclusion of Dito Montiel in the project.
Dito Montiel Set to Direct Gene Wilder Biopic
Fame from A Guide to Recognizing Your Saints, Dito Montiel has been brought on to direct a biopic based on the life of the legendary actor, writer, and director Gene Wilder, named Gene. This follows Montiel obtaining the life rights from Wilder’s Estate, as reported by Deadline. Montiel and Jeremy Roth, known for their work on Love, Victor and How I Met Your Father on Hulu, have written the project’s script.
“Gene Wilder was one of those rare people who was somehow funnier and sadder than everyone else in the room at the same time. That’s not a character. That’s a life,” Montiel said.
A Breakthrough for Montiel
Filmmaker and best-selling author Montiel made his breakthrough with the film adaptation of his memoir, A Guide to Recognizing Your Saints, which describes his experience growing up in Astoria, Queens, during the early 1980s hardcore punk scene. The film, which starred Robert Downey Jr., Chazz Palminteri, and Channing Tatum, won several awards at its Sundance premiere, including the Director’s Award and a Special Jury Prize honoring its ensemble. It also received several nominations for the Independent Spirit Awards.
Over the past 20 years, Montiel has followed up his first feature film with a series of criminal dramas. These include Fighting and The Son of No One, starring Tatum; Empire State, a crime thriller starring Dwayne Johnson, Liam Hemsworth, and Emma Roberts; Boulevard, featuring Robin Williams; Man Down, starring Shia LaBeouf; the dramedy, The Clapper, starring Ed Helms and Amanda Seyfried; and the most recent, Riff Raff, starring Jennifer Coolidge, Ed Harris, Bill Murray, and Gabrielle Union.
Gene Wilder’s Life and Career
Gene Wilder’s life and career have been largely about entertainment fever, especially when it came to the art of performing quirky characters.
A Career Illuminated by Iconic Titles
One of the most cherished and significant actors in movie history, Gene Wilder is a two-time Oscar and Golden Globe nominee best known for his iconic roles in the original Willy Wonka & the Chocolate Factory, Young Frankenstein, Blazing Saddles, and The Producers. The biopic will delve into the man behind the renowned performances, following his development from a timid young theater actor to one of the most distinctive humorous voices in cinema. It will also look at the relationships, personal hardships, and obstacles that influenced his life and career.
This facet of Wilder’s legacy appears to be captured in Intrinsic Value, which emphasizes the imagination that propels all fictional storytelling, particularly those with fantasy elements like Willy Wonka and Young Frankenstein. Let us just hope that this Gene Wilder biographical film does not end up being just another addition to the current flood of biopics.
