The actor-comedian was at LAX Monday when a photog asked him the latest on Pauly's pet project ... which he's been trying to film for a while now.

Pauly says the biopic is still moving forward despite Richard's recent death ... though there is a holdup in terms of financing.

The way Pauly tells it ... he's still trying to get the Wolper Organization, a subsidiary of Warner Bros. that's developing the film, to pony up several million dollars to make the film.

Pauly says $5 to $10 million should do the trick here ... and he makes it clear he's willing to take a deferred payment, as long as that would be enough to get the film done.

TMZ broke the story ... Richard was found unresponsive in his Los Angeles home by his housekeeper earlier this month, the day after his 76th birthday. First responders were called to his home, but he was ultimately pronounced dead.

Police are investigating Richard's death, and our law enforcement sources have told us cops believe it's a natural death. As we first told you, Richard was feeling dizzy and fell in his bathroom the night before his death, and he refused medical attention.

Pauly's been trying to get this biopic started for years... and in January Richard did an about face on the project.

RS wrote on Facebook back in January ... "You may have heard they may be doing a movie about me with Pauly Shore. I have never given my permission for this movie. So don't believe everything you read."

Then, a few days later Richard wished Pauly "good luck" on the project.

Now, Pauly's unsure if Richard was even the one behind his page's social media posts.