Austin Butler is set to take on the role of the legendary racer Lance Armstrong, whose image was destroyed by drug allegations. In a new film directed by Edward Berger, who directed “All Quiet on the Western Front” and “Conclave,” the “Elvis” actor will play the rider.
According to reports, the project, which is being produced by Scott Stuber, the previous Netflix film chief who left for United Artists, has sparked a bidding war between big studios and streaming services.
The rights are up for bargaining since Stuber has a preliminary deal with United Artists, which is owned by Amazon, but the work came altogether before he inked the contract. Armstrong’s narrative has previously been portrayed in movies.
In 2015, Ben Foster portrayed a road racing cyclist in the drama “The Program,” which received little attention when it debuted. Stuber has obtained Armstrong’s life rights, unlike with that movie.
The script for the Armstrong movie will be written by Zach Baylin, who penned “King Richard.” Stuber will co-produce with Nick Nesbit.
Butler, who was nominated for an Oscar for “Elvis,” most recently acted in “Caught Stealing,” directed by Darren Aronofsky. He next co-stars with Jeremy Allen White in the murder drama “Enemies.” Colin Farrell featured in Berger’s film “Ballad of a Small Player,” which examined a gambling addiction.