‘Hooters: The Movie’ Is Officially in the Works, and the True Story Behind It Sounds Wild

Few restaurant chains have carved out as distinct a place in American pop culture as Hooters, the orange-shorts-and-chicken-wings institution that’s been part of the national conversation since the early 1980s. Between its instantly recognizable branding and its reputation as a cultural punchline turned genuine comfort-food destination, the chain has long seemed like fertile ground for a Hollywood origin story.

That origin story is finally getting the big-screen treatment, and it’s coming straight from the people who lived it. The project arrives at a notable moment for the brand, following a period in which its founding group worked to reclaim greater control over the company’s direction and reconnect it with its original roots.

‘Hooters: The Movie’ is now officially in development, independently produced by the chain’s original founding partners themselves. Emmy-nominated filmmaker Jon Rosenbaum, known for ‘Woody Woodpecker Goes to Camp’ and ‘Benchwarmers 2: Breaking Balls,’ is set to direct from a screenplay written by co-founder Ed Droste alongside Phil Olson and Chuck Melcher.

Based on the actual events behind Hooters’ founding, the film centers on Ted and Lenny, two lifelong friends from a small town in Iowa who accidentally launch a national restaurant empire, only to find everything they built threatened by the federal government somewhere along the way. The story kicks off when Ted becomes infatuated with a woman named Diane after spotting her in a spring break commercial, prompting him to talk a hesitant Lenny into joining him on a road trip to Clearwater Beach, Florida, in search of her. Diane would go on to become the very first Hooters Girl.

Ed Droste, who serves as both co-writer and producer on the project, told Deadline, “I think people are going to enjoy watching how we were really just some guys who didn’t know what we were doing, but had a great time doing it.” He added that alongside the humor and drama, the Hooters Girls remain the true stars of the story, framing the brand’s four-decade history as one built on heart and hospitality as much as its famous menu.

Rosenbaum, for his part, has described the project as an ideal blend of buddy comedy and inspiring biopic, built around two friends willing to bet everything on a wild idea that grew into something far bigger than they could have imagined. According to the filmmaker, the finished movie won’t play out the way audiences might expect, even while staying largely rooted in what actually happened.

Casting for the film is currently underway, led by casting directors Lisa London and Catherine Stroud of London/Stroud Casting. Production is being eyed for November, with filming set to take place primarily in the Tampa and Clearwater, Florida area, the same region where the very first Hooters restaurant opened its doors back in 1983.

Rosenbaum is represented by Ross Fineman of Fineman Entertainment and Brent Jordan Sherman of the Characters Talent Agency as the project moves closer to production. With filming still months away and casting only just beginning, further details about who will star as Ted, Lenny, and Diane are likely to trickle out in the coming months.

Given how deeply personal this project is for the people telling it, ‘Hooters: The Movie’ has the chance to offer a genuinely unexpected look behind one of America’s most recognizable restaurant brands.

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