'Less known aspects of his extraordinary life': The Iceman's story will form the basis of the film

British director, BAFTA and Oscar winner Kevin McDonald (The Moorish, The Last King of Scotland) will direct a film called The Iceman.

According to Variety, Jeff Pope, who worked on the films Philomena and The Last Executioner, is responsible for the script for the film.

The project will be based on the real story of the famous 62-year-old extreme athlete Wim Hof, also known as the Iceman.

The Dutchman Wim Hof ​​became famous all over the world thanks to his ability to withstand extreme temperatures, allegedly due to the control of breathing, heart rate and blood circulation.

Wim Hof ​​developed his own method of reconnecting people "with themselves, with others and with nature."

As stated on the official website of the athlete, with its help, he teaches everyone to stimulate deep physiological processes in order to fully realize their potential.

The technique has been repeatedly studied by scientists.

They subjected Hof himself, as well as his followers, to various experiments.

One study confirmed that the autonomic nervous system, which is associated with the innate immune response, can be subject to volitional influence.

However, as noted in the specialized media, Hof's statements about the health benefits of his program have not been scientifically proven.

Wim Hof, in his own words, from the age of 17 he tested himself by being in cold water.

He became especially active in practices related to cold and breathing in the mid-1990s.

With their help, the man hoped to find peace and strength: at that time, he, a postman from the Netherlands, was widowed and left with four children, whom he could hardly feed.

Locals began to notice that the man delivers letters barefoot in the dead of winter and swims in icy lakes.

Over time, his radical methods attracted the attention of people from all over the world.

“Wim is a man who survived a terrible (psychological. -

) trauma - the death of his wife - and found a completely new way to cope with the depression that arose after that,” says Kevin McDonald.

The director promises that there will be a lot of humor in the film, and there will also be a place for love, loss, and struggle.

“Jeff Pope wrote an amazing screenplay full of humor, humanity and emotion.

In it, we get acquainted with the Dutch suburbs - the world of extravagant antics, family destruction, love story and epiphany.

This is a film about resilience, about second chances, and about the amazing ability of our bodies and minds to heal,” says the director.

Joseph Fiennes will play the lead role in the film.

His filmography includes such popular projects as The Handmaid's Tale, American Horror Story and Hercules.

The actor notes that Hof's story is inspiring and has a healing effect.

“I am very enthusiastic about the idea of ​​the film and I am honored to play the great Wim Hof.

His story is inspiring, it is both very funny and incredibly painful and ultimately healing.

I hope that I can not only tell about his amazing achievements, but also show on the screen the lesser-known aspects of his extraordinary life, ”Variety quotes Joseph Fiennes.

Filming is expected to begin in November 2022.

Production will be handled by Genesius Pictures, which worked on Starfish and Northern Soul.

The Kevin MacDonald Project is the first feature film about Wim Hof.

However, his achievements are described in a number of documentary projects.

A comic book was also released about Hof's success.

It covers a long period of an athlete's life - from the traumatic experience he experienced, which became the catalyst for the search, to bold tests and scientific experiments.

The stories of people who achieve outstanding results in various fields of activity often form the basis of biopics.

In 2021, the film "Fauja" was announced about the oldest marathon runner from India, Fauji Singh.

He started running in earnest at the age of 89, and 11 years later set several world records in his age group.

In January 2021, the film “I am Zlatan” about the Swedish footballer Zlatan Ibrahimovic was released in Russian distribution.

The film tells the story of the formation of an athlete who grew up in a dysfunctional family, suffered bullying from peers, and had problems with the law.

Despite all the difficulties, Ibrahimovic managed to become a world-class star.

In 2023, Christopher Nolan's biographical drama Oppenheimer about the life of scientist Robert Oppenheimer and his role in the development of the atomic bomb is expected to premiere.

The roles in the film will be performed by Cillian Murphy, Matt Damon, Florence Pugh, Emily Blunt and other actors.