Dennis Rodman's North Korea trip inspires comedy film

Friendship between basketball star and North Korean leader to hit big screen

North Korea's leader Kim Jong-un (Reuters)

Just weeks after basketball star Dennis Rodman declared his love for North Korean dictator Kim Jong-Un, plans for a film based on the pair’s bizarre relationship are in the pipeline.

Tim Story (Fantastic Four, Ride Along) has signed on to direct 20th Century Fox’s comedy pitch, Diplomats, industry insider The Hollywood Reporter has revealed.

Peter Chernin has been tipped to produce following his success on The Heat, starring Melissa McCarthy and Sandra Bullock, while Jonathan Abrams is penning the screenplay.

Rodman, 52, struck up a friendship with Jong Un when he first visited North Korea in 2013, before returning last month to play in a Pyongyang exhibition game and sing “Happy Birthday” to the communist leader (yes, this happened).

He even reportedly showered his "friend for life", thought to be 31, with lavish gifts including a fur coat, Italian suit and a Mulberry handbag for his wife Ri Sol-ju. Rodman was subsequently investigated for violating US sanctions that make it illegal for US citizens to "import, export or reexport" luxury goods into North Korea.

Despite it coming shortly after Jong Un had his uncle brutally executed for "acts of treachery", Rodman angrily defended his trip, telling CNN that it was a "great idea for the world". "I don't give a s**t, I don't give a rat's ass what the hell you think," he said.

Mere days later, Rodman checked into an alcohol rehabilitation centre, citing pressure to be "a combination 'super human' political figure and 'fixer'".

Whether Diplomats will ever reach cinemas remains to be seen but if not, we have The Interview to look forward to, featuring Seth Rogen, James Franco and Evan Goldberg. In the Sony comedy, due for release in October, Rogen and Franco’s characters secure an interview with Jong Un and are asked to assassinate him by the CIA.