Owen Wilson ‘turned down $12M paycheck’ for role in OJ Simpson movie depicting late football star as innocent of murdering his wife Nicole Brown Simpson

Owen Wilson reportedly turned down a hefty paycheck to star in an upcoming film portraying OJ Simpson as innocent of the murder of his wife Nicole Brown Simpson.

The film, titled The Juice and described as a ‘satirical thriller’, is directed by British filmmaker Joshua Newton.

Newton said initial discussions with Owen delved deeply into the possibility of him playing Douglas McCann, a real-life lawyer who became entangled in several conspiracy theories during Simpson’s 1995 criminal trial.

“Owen Wilson was perfect for the role,” Newton told Rambler Reporter, per TMZ.

“I actually had a meeting with him in Santa Monica. Everyone loved the script. His agent wanted him to do it. We offered him $12 million,” he continued. But at the end of the lunch, Owen stood up and said, “If you think I’m going to star in a movie about how OJ didn’t do it, you’re kidding me.” ‘

Newton revealed that he has finally found another actor who is “perfect” for the role, although he has chosen not to reveal their identity yet.

He also said that 30 minutes of the film had already been completed.

DailyMail.com has contacted Owen Wilson’s representatives for comment.

The completed scenes feature English actress Charlotte Kirk as Nicole and German-born actor Boris Kodjoe as the late NFL star who became an acquitted murderer.

Kirk is best known for taking out movie moguls Kevin Tsujihara and Ron Meyer in a sex scandal in 2019.

Newton concluded by stating his intention to complete the film on October 3, coinciding with the 29th anniversary of Simpson’s acquittal.

The late NFL star was acquitted in the 1994-1995 murder trial for the deaths of his ex-wife and Ronald Goldman, but was found liable in a civil lawsuit in 1997.

The acquittal, despite a wealth of evidence and the apparent lack of other credible suspects, remains a subject of intense debate and investigation.

The trials are also a frequent subject of adaptation in both film and television.

Sarah Paulson famously played lead prosecutor Marcia Clark in the award-winning series The People Vs OJ Simpson.

The trial also received extensive coverage in the eight-hour 2016 ESPN documentary series OJ: Made in America, which shed light on various aspects of the case and its cultural significance.

The series would win the Academy Award for Best Documentary Feature at the 89th Academy Awards.

Simpson’s family announced in a tweet that he “succumbed to his battle with cancer” on April 10 while “surrounded by his children and grandchildren.”

Ronald Goldman’s father, Fred Goldman, who has campaigned tirelessly for justice over the decades since his son’s murder, told DailyMail.com that Simpson’s death was “another reminder” of Ronald’s untimely passing.

“It’s a further reminder of my son’s murder and a reminder of the many years we missed Ron,” he said. “His death is a reminder that Ron and Nicole were killed by him. I’m not going to comment on my thoughts about his death.”

Fred ended by saying, “I have nothing to say about him. My answer will not be about OJ’s death, but about the loss of my son’s life because of him. Thanks for calling. That’s all I have to say.’

Once a celebrated football player with eleven seasons primarily with the Buffalo Bills, Simpson transitioned to acting before the tragic murders of Brown and Goldman.

While he was acquitted of the crimes, his reputation suffered irreparable damage, and the latter part of his career was marred by questionable ventures.

After his acquittal, Simpson was found civilly liable for the murders, resulting in a $33.5 million payout to the victims’ families.

His legal troubles continued, leading to a prison sentence of up to 33 years for a 2008 armed robbery in Nevada.

News of his death comes two months after reports surfaced of his battle with prostate cancer and undergoing chemotherapy treatments.