Glen Powell, Richard Linklater unite for Lou Gehrig biopic, Lorne Michaels to produce
Washington DC, July 23
Actor Glen Powell and filmmaker Richard Linklater are set to reunite for an untitled biopic on legendary baseball player Lou Gehrig, with Universal Pictures backing the project, reported Variety.
According to Variety, the film marks another collaboration between Powell and Linklater after their work on 'Hit Man' and 'Everybody Wants Some'.
The biopic will chronicle the life of Gehrig, the Hall of Fame first baseman who became one of baseball's greatest icons. Nicknamed the "Iron Horse" for playing a then-record 2,130 consecutive games, Gehrig's illustrious career was cut short after he was diagnosed with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS).
His emotional farewell speech at Yankee Stadium in 1939, in which he described himself as "the luckiest man on the face of the Earth," remains one of the most memorable moments in American sports history. Gehrig died in 1941 at the age of 37. His life was previously portrayed in the 1942 classic 'The Pride of the Yankees', with Gary Cooper playing the baseball legend, reported Variety.
As per Variety, 'Saturday Night Live' creator Lorne Michaels will produce the upcoming film alongside Erin David under Broadway Video's first-look deal with Universal Pictures. Powell will also serve as a producer with Dan Cohen through their Barnstorm banner, while Linklater is in talks to produce via Detour Filmproduction.
The screenplay will be penned by Simon Rich, a former Saturday Night Live writer. Rich most recently wrote Artificial, a film about OpenAI CEO Sam Altman directed by Luca Guadagnino. The project made headlines after Amazon MGM Studios dropped it before it was later acquired by Neon.
Powell, known for films such as 'Twisters' and 'The Running Man', will next be seen in J.J. Abrams' 'The Great Beyond'. Linklater recently directed 'Blue Moon', which earned Academy Award nominations for its screenplay and Ethan Hawke's lead performance, as well as 'Nouvelle Vague', a film centred on the making of 'Breathless', reported Variety.
— ANI
Reader Comments
Lorne Michaels producing? That's interesting—SNL guy making a serious sports biopic. But Glen Powell has that all-American charm, and Linklater is a master of character studies. Could be a winner. Will it release in India though? 🤔
Honestly, I'd rather see a biopic on an Indian sport legend like Milkha Singh or Dhyan Chand—but Gehrig's story is universal. The human element of facing a terminal illness with such grace transcends borders. Good choice for a film.
Another sports biopic? Feels like Hollywood is milking this genre dry. But if anyone can make it fresh, it's Linklater. 'Hit Man' was surprisingly good. Hope they don't just rehash 'Pride of the Yankees' with better CGI.
The Iron Horse! I read about him in an article about ALS awareness. Such a courageous man. My only worry: Simon Rich writing it—he wrote 'Artificial' about Sam Altman, which sounds... odd. But Linklater's direction should keep it grounded. Hope they don't over-sentimentalize it.
Glen Powell is having a moment. Twisters, Running Man, and now this biopic. He's got that old-Hollywood charisma. But Gehrig's story needs sensitivity, not just star power. Let's see if they respect the man behind the legend. 🙏
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