Dave Franco discusses playing rapper Vanilla Ice in upcoming biopic

Dave Franco has confirmed he is set to play the rapper Vanilla Ice in an upcoming biopic.

Reports about the film, titled To The Extreme, first surfaced last year and now Franco has spoken about the project for the first time.

Franco, 35, compared it to The Disaster Artist, the 2017 movie directed by his brother James Franco and starring the siblings as the unlikely friends responsible for cult movie The Room.

He told Insider: “With (The Disaster Artist), people expected us to make a broad comedy where we make fun of (The Room director) Tommy Wiseau, but the more real we played it, the funnier and heartfelt it was — that’s the tone we want for this one as well.”

Texas-born Vanilla Ice, whose real name is Rob Van Winkle, shot to fame in 1990 following the success of his song Ice Ice Baby, which topped charts around the world.

To The Extreme is named after his album of the same name. Franco said the film is still in its early stages and he has been in regular contact with the rapper.

He said: “Rob is such a sweet and intelligent guy and he’s been super helpful in the process of getting all the details correct and making us privy to information the public doesn’t know. Just talking to him I can’t help but think about the rabbit holes I’m going to go down to get ready for the role.”

To The Extreme will reportedly follow Vanilla Ice’s career from his days selling cars in Dallas to becoming a chart-topping rapper.