A feature film based on the life of WWE Hall of Famer Jake “The Snake” Roberts is in development, but according to his longtime friend “Diamond” Dallas Page, the project has encountered major creative challenges.
Roberts’ story — defined by both his in-ring success and his personal battles with addiction — was memorably told in the acclaimed 2015 documentary The Resurrection of Jake the Snake, which chronicled his journey to sobriety with Page’s support. The planned biopic aims to bring that same emotional arc to the big screen, but capturing the essence of that redemption has proven difficult.
Speaking on The Ariel Helwani Show, Page revealed that several writers have tried to adapt Roberts’ life, but none have managed to capture the specific emotional truth that defines his comeback story.
“We’ve had a couple of guys come on and they’ve tried to write what it was, but they did a version — the writing was great, I mean really great — but it didn’t capture what they wanted it to be, meaning the resurrection,” Page explained.
He went on to discuss the broader challenge of getting a film made, stressing that while enthusiasm exists, the reality of Hollywood production often slows progress.
“And that came out, I mean, it’s been going on for years. I don’t really talk about it because it’s positive bullshit. It’s positive, but it’s bullshit until it happens… How hard it is to get something made, bro. People don’t realize how hard it is.”
The Roberts project joins a growing list of wrestling biopics in development, including A24’s The Iron Claw about the Von Erich family and Queen of the Ring, centered on wrestling pioneer Mildred Burke.
Roberts currently remains under contract with AEW, where he has managed talents such as Lance Archer and The Righteous. While his on-screen appearances have become less frequent, he continues to share stories from his storied career on his podcast, The Snake Pit with Jake Roberts.
