The Iceman, a feature chronicling the true-life story of extreme athlete Wim Hof, has been put on hold following allegations of abuse made against Hof by his ex-partner.
Kevin Macdonald was set to direct and Joseph Fiennes to star in the project, which is produced by Genesius Pictures and sold internationally by Cornerstone.
A spokesperson for Genesius Pictures said: “Genesius Pictures can confirm that due to the severity of the allegations, this production, which was in development only and had not begun filming, is on hold.”
The project was first unveiled at the European Film Market in 2022 by Cornerstone. A spokesperson for Cornerstone did not have a comment but confirmed the project was on hold.
In an interview with Dutch newspaper, de Volkskrant, Hof’s ex-partner Caroline claimed he physically, sexually and verbally abused her during their 10-year relationship. Their son Noah and one of Hof’s step-sons, Christiaan, also made allegations of verbal and physical abuse.
Hof denies the allegations and says he is taking legal action against the newspaper, whilst his son Enahm (whose mother was Hof’s late first wife Olaya), in a statement to the BBC, defended his father and called the stories “painful and unbalanced”.
The Dutch motivational speaker and extreme athlete grabbed global attention for his ability to withstand freezing temperatures, which began as a way of dealing with the death of his wife and the struggles of raising four children alone.
Additional reporting by Mona Tabbara.
Originally published at https://www.screendaily.com/news/the-iceman-on-hold-following-wim-hof-abuse-allegations/5197753.article
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