First Man: Neil Armstrong Biopic to Star Ryan Gosling, Directed by Damien Chazelle

December 29, 2016 by

Acclaimed director Damien Chazelle and his La La Land star Ryan Gosling  will reteam on Chazelle’s Neil Armstrong biopic, First Man, for Universal.

Chazelle is directing a script by Oscar-winning Spotlight scribe Josh Singer

Sources say that a deal is closed for Gosling to star and it is likely that the film will shoot in early 2017.

The film is based on James Hansen’s biography “First Man: A Life Of Neil A. Armstrong” and tells the story of NASA’s mission to land a man on the moon, focusing on Neil Armstrong during the years 1961-1969.

A first-person account, the movie will explore the sacrifices and the cost– on Armstrong and on America–of one of history’s most dangerous space missions.

Chazelle boarded the movie in 2015 after it had originated at Warner with Clint Eastwood planning to direct in produce. Temple Hill partners Wyck Godfrey and Marty Bowen are producing.

Isaac Klausner will executive produce. Hansen is attached to co-produce.

Universal’s VP of Production Sara Scott will oversee the project for the studio.

Chazelle and Gosling benefit from the strong box-office and critical acclaim of La La Land. The musical leads all films in Golden Globe nominations and also landed Gosling and co-star Emma Stone SAG nominations.

The picture has also earned 2016’s highest per-screen average for any movie to be released in less then 10 theaters.

 

 

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