Paul Reubens speaking with attendees at the 2019 Phoenix Fan Fusion at the Phoenix Convention Center in Phoenix, Arizona. Photo: Gage Skidmore via Wikimedia Commons

The director behind the film Weird: The Al Yankovic Story said in a recent interview that he wants to make a biopic about the late Paul Reubens, the Jewish comedian and actor best known as Pee-wee Herman, who died in late July from cancer.

Filmmaker Eric Appel also already knows who he wants to cast in the lead role, he told ComicBook.com.

“You know, I feel like a Paul Reubens would be great — an actual Paul Reubens biopic. I would love to — I feel like that’s a story that people would really love,” Appel explained, adding that his first choice would be to have Jorma Taccone, who played Reubens briefly in Weird, take on the role. “I think Jorma did such a great job playing him in Weird. I think Jorma would be it.”

Reubens privately battled cancer for six years before he died last month. The writer and producer said in a statement shared by his family before his passing: “Please accept my apology for not going public with what I’ve been facing the last six years. I have always felt a huge amount of love and respect from my friends, fans, and supporters. I have loved you all so much and enjoyed making art for you.”

The Pee-wee Herman Show premiered at the Roxy Theater in Los Angeles in the early 1980s and Reubens made his feature film debut as the dorky and eccentric character in the 1985 comedy Pee-wee’s Big Adventure, which was also Tim Burton’s feature film directorial debut. Reubens later starred in the CBS series Pee-wee’s Playhouse, which won 22 Emmy Awards, including two personal wins for Reubens. His other acting credits included Big Top Pee-wee, Batman Returns, Buffy the Vampire Slayer, The Nightmare Before Christmas, Matilda, and Pee-wee’s Big Holiday. He received a star on Hollywood’s Walk of Fame in 1988.

Reubens’ father, who also died from cancer, was the co-founding pilot of the Israeli Air Force.