World Cup sensation Paul the octopus becomes celluloid cephalopod

World Cup heroes make easy subjects for stirring cinema, be they real-life (The Game of their Lives, Zidane, The Miracle of Bern) or, usually more lucratively, fictional (Goal!, Sixty Six, Mike Bassett: England Manager). And now it seems the big star of this year's contest is to follow suit, for production has already wrapped on The Murder of Paul the Octopus, a fictional take on the eight-limbed beastie whose knack for predicting the match outcomes won him worldwide fame.

The film, a co-production between China Film Group Corporation and Beijing Filmblog Media Company, was shot over the past few weeks in South Africa using a body double, owing to the indisposition of the real Paul, who has gone into retirement. Release is scheduled for August. According to Sky News, the film's makers have focused on Paul's remarkable winning streak and explore "how the octopus acquires the ability and discuss his possible fates".

Whatever its fidelity to the truth, The Murder looks set to mark the second octopus-starring film in as many years: Mega Shark vs Giant Octopus was a cult hit last year. The creature's cinematic heyday was in the early days of the medium, with four octopus-related titles released before 1920. There then followed a six-decade lull until 1983's Octopussy, then another 20-year pause until the animal's memorable cameo in 2003's Oldboy.