Who doesn’t love them some classic Richard Pryor? The man is largely seen as the greatest name in comedy history and helped change the game during the 1970s and beyond. So, it’s a shame that today brings some bad news where the long-gestating Pryor biopic is concerned.

The Hollywood Reporter has word that director Lee Daniels, best known for Precious and The Butler, has departed the movie. The reason behind the departure seems to be Daniels’ hectic schedule. Rather than waiting for his schedule to free up, it’s being reported that the Weinstein Company weren’t prepared to see any further delays to the project and so are moving forward without Daniels.

With a script already in place from Bill Condon and to be titled Richard Pryor: Is it Something I Said?, the film will tell the tale of the life of one of comedy’s most famous, iconic and influential figures. The project has been in the works for over a decade now, and it was previously reported that Mike Epps will be playing Pryor, Oprah Winfrey would be Pryor’s grandmother, Eddie Murphy will be playing Pryor’s father, and Kate Hudson would be playing Pryor’s widow, Jennifer Lee Pryor. Whether those names are still on board remains to be seen.

The life of Richard Pryor was certainly a colourful one, with him being a true comedic pioneer and changing the landscape of the comedy business. Of course, there were some very famous highs and lows throughout his life and career, including Pryor’s well-publicised drink and drug issues. He was also married seven times to five different women and had seven children, and had two heart attacks whilst also having to later battle multiple sclerosis during the 1990s. Pryor would sadly pass away in December 2005 at the age of 65 following another heart attack.