Wim Hof Biopic ‘The Iceman’ On Hold Following Domestic Abuse Allegations Against Extreme Athlete

A UK-produced biopic exploring the life of Dutch extreme athlete Wim Hof has been put on hold following allegations of domestic abuse against the cold-water guru, which he has denied.

The film was originally announced in 2022 with Kevin Macdonald attached to direct and Joseph Fiennes signed to star as Hof.

The project reunited London-based production company Genesius Pictures and sales agent Cornerstone Films after their successful collaboration on Good Luck To You, Leo Grande.

The decision to halt the project follows a report in Dutch newspaper de Volkskrant over the weekend in which the athlete’s ex-partner said he had physically and verbally abused her, their son and her two children from a previous marriage over a 13-year period.

Hof has denied the report and since filed a complaint for alleged defamation and slander, but the production company appears to be waiting for the outcome of the case.

“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 production company said in a statement on Tuesday.

Pages giving information on the project on the websites of Genesius Pictures and Cornerstone Films have been removed.

With a screenplay by scripted by Philomena writer Jeff Pope, the feature was set to follow Hof’s trajectory from being a widower working as a postman struggling to support his four children, to becoming a world-renowned health and resilience guru, after he turned to the cold to find peace and strength.