Hellmuth movie

Poker Brat Phil Hellmuth is to be played by Star Wars actor Hayden Christensen in the upcoming film, The Madison Kid.

Film industry sources, including UK movie magazine Empire, claim that Christensen, who played asthmatic Darth Vader in Star Wars: Episode III is in line for the role of one of poker’s biggest characters. Casting directors were no doubt inspired by Christensen’s over-the-top performances in the last two installments of the Star Wars trilogy.

Some of the acting was certainly not a million miles away from some of Hellmuth’s equally pantomime-like blow-ups.

This latest film focuses on Hellmuth’s early rise to fame as he becomes the youngest ever world champion by winning the $10,000 WSOP Main Event aged just 24 in 1989.

At the time Hellmuth dropped out of the University of Wisconsin-Madison, risking the ire of his father, who was a professor at the university, before going on to beat then back-to-back Main Event winner Johnny Chan.

The Madison Kid is currently in preproduction and due to start shooting during the spring in Canada.