Lance Armstrong biopic might not happen
Los Angeles – After years of developing a biopic on Lance Armstrong, Sony Pictures might not be moving forward with
the project, after Armstrong was stripped of his 7 Tour de France titles.
This comes shortly after the famed cyclist was placed under investigation by the USDA, into whether or not he doped.
The investigation was launched after new incriminating evidence was brought to light.
According to Nikki Finke from , Armstrong released a in which he described the USDA
investigation as a “unconstitutional witch hunt”.
Movie should still happen
According to the article, Finke went on to state that the movie should still happen, but that the news of his ban should be worked into the movie.
“It also should be a movie, albeit a different one from first envisioned,” Finke went on to say.
“As a huge Tour de France fan myself, I think what happened to Armstrong tonight is
tragic. I also thought a Lance biopic was a natural back in 2006. So why
did it take Hollywood so long to put one together? Billy Gerber, the
former Warner Bros President turned film producer, tried to sell it
years ago after reading Armstrong’s bestselling book It’s Not About The Bike. fast
forward, and producers Frank Marshall and Kathleen Kennedy got lucky
that then Columbia Pictures president of production Matt Tolmach was a
cycling fanatic.”
Jake Gyllenhaal wanted to star
Finke continues by saying that Jake Gyllenhaal was all adamant to star in the movie and that Sony was lucky to have scored him as the leading man.
“There was a slight resemblance between the two guys, and the actor is
even a long-time cyclist. He’d even begun training for the
film. The European press went into a speculation frenzy when Lance and
Jake first showed up together at the 2006 Tour de France. Jake even joined the
seven-time Tour de France winner in the Discovery team car for an Individual Time
Trial.
“Obviously the Tour’s assistance, while not required, would have been
helpful to the biopic. Gyllenhaal and Armstrong became pals during
Jake’s method process to get to know the sports legend. And, as the many years of doping whispers became louder, the project
suddenly went quiet. Now it’s time to resurrect it with a different arc,” Finke said.
Los Angeles – After years of developing a biopic on Lance Armstrong, Sony Pictures might not be moving forward with
the project, after Armstrong was stripped of his 7 Tour de France titles.
This comes shortly after the famed cyclist was placed under investigation by the USDA, into whether or not he doped.
The investigation was launched after new incriminating evidence was brought to light.
According to Nikki Finke from , Armstrong released a in which he described the USDA
investigation as a “unconstitutional witch hunt”.
Movie should still happen
According to the article, Finke went on to state that the movie should still happen, but that the news of his ban should be worked into the movie.
“It also should be a movie, albeit a different one from first envisioned,” Finke went on to say.
“As a huge TdF fan myself, I think what happened to Armstrong tonight is
tragic. I also thought a Lance biopic was a natural back in 2006. So why
did it take Hollywood so long to put one together? Billy Gerber, the
former Warner Bros President turned film producer, tried to sell it
years ago after reading Armstrong’s bestselling book It’s Not About The Bike. fast
forward, and producers Frank Marshall and Kathleen Kennedy got lucky
that then Columbia Pictures president of production Matt Tolmach was a
cycling fanatic.”
Jake Gyllenhaal wanted to star
Finke continues by saying that Jake Gyllenhaal was all adamant to star in the movie and that Sony was lucky to have scored him as the leading man.
“There was a slight resemblance between the two guys, and the actor is
even a long-time cyclist. He’d even begun training for the
film. The European press went into a speculation frenzy when Lance and
Jake first showed up together at the 2006 Tour de France. Jake even joined the
seven-time Tour de France winner in the Discovery team car for an Individual Time
Trial.
“Obviously the Tour’s assistance, while not required, would have been
helpful to the biopic. Gyllenhaal and Armstrong became pals during
Jake’s method process to get to know the sports legend. And, as the many years of doping whispers became louder, the project
suddenly went quiet. Now it’s time to resurrect it with a different arc,” Finke said.
