Austin Butler is set to star as the iconic cyclist Lance Armstrong in a biopic that is being directed by Edward Berger, the mastermind behind 'Conclave,' and produced by Scott Stuber, the executive behind 'Deliver Me From Nowhere.' The screenplay is being penned by Oscar-nominated writer Zach Baylin, who also wrote the script for Will Smith's 'King Richard.' Berger will produce the film alongside Stuber and Nick Nesbit, with Baylin, Josh Glick, and Zac Frognowski serving as executive producers.
The Armstrong biopic does not fall under Stuber's United Artists banner, as the project predates his partnership and the revival of the Amazon MGM-owned brand. Given its impressive roster of Academy Award-nominated talent, the package is being shopped around to various studio partners. For the film, Stuber has acquired Armstrong's life rights.
Armstrong rose to become the world's most famous cyclist after winning the Tour de France a record-setting seven consecutive times. However, his legacy was called into question in 2012 when the United States Anti-Doping Agency concluded an investigation that found that Armstrong had used performance-enhancing drugs throughout his career, resulting in the stripping of his titles. Armstrong denied doping allegations for years until finally admitting to using performance-enhancing drugs in 2013.
Outside of cycling, Armstrong is synonymous with cancer research and support. He was diagnosed with testicular cancer and later founded the Livestrong Foundation, which has raised hundreds of millions of dollars for the cause.
Butler's upcoming projects include Michael Mann's 'Heat 2,' which is also produced by Stuber, Joseph Kosinski's 'Miami Vice,' and Luca Guadagnino's 'American Psycho' movie. Berger was last seen behind the camera for Netflix's 'The Ballad of a Small Player' and is currently filming A24's 'The Riders,' starring Brad Pitt. Meanwhile, Stuber is currently nominated for the Best Picture Oscar for his work on Guillermo del Toro's 'Frankenstein.'
