Gerard to play Jay Moriarity’s mentor in Maverick

Gerard Butler is headed to create some waves as a surf master in the film Maverick . Butler of 300 fame is to portray Rick Frosty Hesson, mentor to famous surfer Jay Moriarity.

Curtis Hanson is directing the movie for Walden Media and Lakeshore Entertainment, reports Deadline.

The story is about the life of late Jay Moriarity and his quest to ride the iconic Northern California breaks, known as Mavericks, where winter swells bring in treacherous waves the size of five-story buildings.

Moriarity trained under Hesson for an year and they formed a friendship that transformed both their lives. Moriarity, who died in 2001 in a diving accident in the Maldives just a day short of his 23rd birthday, remains an inspiration to surfers around the globe. He took to surfing from a young age and was known as the most promising teenage surfer of his time. In his spare time, he sky dived and did motorcross. He was training to be a fire fighter and was employed as a surf instructor at the O’Neil Academy; he had also been visiting several countries as an instructor.

He was more interested in longboard surfing and was as obsessive about the Maverick waves as his mentor.

Kario Salem and Brandon Hooper penned the script while Hanson, Hooper and Jim Meenaghan are producing the film. Shooting is expected to start in October.