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Channing Tatum will play daredevil Evel Knievel in Columbia Pictures' upcoming biopic.
By Josh Grossberg, E! Online
Hot off his hunky performance as a male stripper in Magic Mike, Channing Tatum is taking on another risky big-screen role. The fast-rising star has been tapped to play late daredevil Evel Knievel in a biopic that Columbia Pictures is revving up and that Tatum will also produce, according to the Hollywood Reporter.
Of course, any flick about the real-life superhero (and there've been a few, right, George Hamilton?) wouldn't be authentic without those death-defying stunts Knievel was known for. So here are five of the deadliest we'd like to see Channing reenact as he chronicles the life story of the Guiness Book of World Records holder who never met a broken bone he didn't like.
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1. Fountain of Evel: After making a name for himself on the motocross circuit, Knievel pitched Las Vegas' Caesars Palace the idea of jumping its iconic fountains. On Dec. 31, 1967, after placing a $100 bet at the casino and having a shot of Wild Turkey, he went ahead with the stunt -- at 141 feet his longest jump ever -- and subsequently landed on a safety ramp. The wipeout resulted in a crushed pelvis and fractures to his hip and ankles among other injuries, from which he recovered. ABC later bought the rights to the filmed jump, and the broadcast made him a household name.
2. Snakebit: After failing to convince authorities to let him jump the Grand Canyon, Knievel chose the next best thing. On Sept. 8, 1974, the daredevil took flight with the aid of a rocket-powered cycle called the X-1 Skycycle, but midway through the jump his parachute deployed. While the Skycycle made it to the other rim, the chute forced him down into the canyon's bottom and he survived with only minor injuries.
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3. London Calling: On May 26, 1975, before 90,000 people at London's Wembley Stadium, the now legendary entertainer crashed his bike while hurtling over 13 single-deck buses, once again breaking his pelvis. Somehow, he managed to walk away without the aid of a stretcher and announced his retirement from jumping.
4. Go Greyhound: Aching to get back to what he does best, Knievel came out of retirement, suited up in his trademark white-spangled jumpsuit, and sailed his Harley-Davidson over 14 Greyhound buses at the Kings Island theme park in Ohio. The jump aired on ABC's Wide World of Sports, but luckily Evel enjoyed the thrill of victory and not the agony of defeat. He again announced his retirement.
5. Shark Attack: Of course once a daredevil, always a daredevil. Knievel couldn't resist one more go-round, this time jumping over a tank full of live sharks inspired by the blockbuster movie "Jaws." Sadly, during a rehearsal Evel's bike spun out and he collided with a cameraman. While Knievel only suffered broken arms, the latter lost an eye, an accident which prompted Knievel to give up large-scale performances once and for all and pass the baton to his son, Robbie Knievel.
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Which Knievel stunt would you like to see Tatum take on? Share your ideas on our Facebook page.
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