Sarah Palin Setting Her Sights on Big Screen? You Betcha!

John McCain's old running mate will be getting a documentary about her rise to political stardom

By Josh Grossberg May 25, 2011 7:50 PMTags
Sarah PalinGilles Mingasson/TLC

Forget The Hangover 2, Sarah Palin the sequel is coming to a theater near you.

The former half-term Governor of Alaska will be the subject of a documentary—developed at her suggestion—by conservative filmmaker Stephen Bannon; called The Undefeated, the doc is said to tout her purported political strengths and just possibly set the stage for a presidential run.

If you thought Mama Grizzly wasn't still considering a bid for the nation's top job, well, guess again.

According to RealClearPolitics.com, Palin hopes the propaganda piece film will reintroduce her to a conservative base that's cooled to her and help rebuild her brand. Palin's popularity among Republicans has slipped since her speech in the wake of the tragic January shooting of Arizona congresswoman, Gabrielle Giffords, and several others, during which Palin defended her previously inflammatory political rhetoric and the use of gun sights on a map targeting Giffords' district.

The film came together after an aide pitched the idea at her behest to conservative filmmaker Stephen Bannon, whose credits include the Tea Party documentary, Generation Zero, and the Ronald Reagan bio, In the Face of Evil. Bannon agreed to make The Undefeated, reportedly maintaining editorial control and financing it to the tune of $1 million with his own money.

According to the report, the director screened the finished film for the politician-turned-reality star and her husband Todd in Arizona last week, and they were said to be pleased with the outcome.

While she's not interviewed directly in Undefeated, the site (which has seen the film) says the doc uses narration from the audiobook from her 2009 bestseller, Going Rogue. The film also includes interviews with various Alaskans, conservative commentators and supporters about her meteoric rise, as well as archival footage of Palin as mayor and governor, though it sidesteps Troopergate and the Katie Couric brouhaha.

As well, the film will also be released in an unrated edition so those interested can get a taste of some of the more saltier rants from her critics, among them Howard Stern, Rosie O'Donnell, Louis C. K. and Bill Maher. (Additionally, the film reportedly features more, uh, figurative footage of lions killing a zebra to illustrate...something.)

Political observers speculate Palin's ready to jump back into the political fray as the two-hour long Undefeated is scheduled to premiere in late June in Iowa, ground zero for launching presidential bids. That will be followed by premieres in other primary states like New Hampshire, South Carolina and Nevada before unspooling nationwide and then making its way to DVD and video-on-demand.

Calling the film The Undefeated—which comes from a John Wayne movie—may be a little ironic, however, given Palin's ticket lost the last election.