#Ferrari Biopic Teams Hugh Jackman and Director Michael Mann

Michael Mann and Hugh Jackman are teaming up to tell the tale of one of the most influential people in the history of automobiles. Ferrari will be Mann’s first directorial effort since 2015’s Blackhat and is gearing up to begin pre-production as we speak. Jackman, meanwhile, who is coming off of an acclaimed performance in HBO’s Bad Education, is circling the lead role and is being eyed to play Enzo Ferrari, the iconic Italian entrepreneur and racing driver.

Troy Kennedy Martin (The Italian Job) penned the screenplay, which is based on the book Enzo Ferrari: The Man and the Machine by Brock Yates. The acclaimed biography was originally published in 1991 and did a deep dive into the man’s personal circle to paint a portrait of the complicated icon. Filming is expected to begin in spring 2021. STX is on board to distribute the movie in the U.K. and Ireland and is handling international sales at the Cannes virtual market. CAA Media Finance is handling the movie’s rights in the U.S.

Ferrari will take place during the summer of 1957 when the forces of the man’s life collided. The racecar company he and his wife Laura built is going broke. Their marriage has already had to endure the death of their son, Dino, and Ferrari’s other son, 12-year old Piero, who was the product of a wartime romance.

Enzo decides to roll the dice for all their futures on one race, 1,000 miles across Italy, the brutal and infamous 1957 Mille Miglia. During the dangerous race, Laura discovers long kept secrets, opportunities will rise and fade, and drivers will push beyond the edge. This is all taking place while cars slam through crowded towns and mountain passes, racing towards outcomes that will determine the future of their lives.

Michael Mann is a four-time Academy Award nominee. Some of his previous directing credits include Heat, The Insider, Collateral and Public Enemies. Interestingly, Mann served as a producer on last year’s Ford vs. Ferrari, which was nominated for Best Picture at the Oscars. Hugh Jackman is coming off of a run playing Wolverine for nearly two decades in the X-Men franchise, which concluded in 2017 with Logan. Jackman has since starred in the hit musical The Greatest Showman, as well as the Gary Hart biopic The Front Runner. Jackman will be seen next in the sci-fi flick Reminiscence, which is directed by Westworld co-creator Lisa Joy.

Enzo Ferrari had a very successful racing career as a driver but his legacy in the automobile industry is the sports car company named after him. Founded in 1939, Ferrari remains amongst the most respected names in auto racing the sports car world. Ferrari passed away in 1988 but his legacy has endured far beyond his years. We’ll be sure to keep you posted as further details on the project are made available. This news was previously reported by Variety.

Topics: Ferrari