For a couple of years, Whiplash director Damien Chazelle has been attached to a biopic of Neil Armstrong, called First Man. Now he’s found the man to play the main role, as THR reports that he’s set to reteam with his La La Land star Ryan Gosling for the movie.
The film will be based on First Man: A Life of Neil A. Armstrong by James Hansen, which chronicles how NASA managed to put a man on the moon, and how former test pilot Armstrong became that man. Oscar-winning Spotlight co-writer Josh Singer is writing the script.
While it’s not the sort of movie Chazelle has made before, following the tense brilliance of the unexpected Whiplash, and now with many expecting La La Land to make a strong showing at the Oscars, he’s proven he can probably handle anything. Gosling would also seem a good choice for the role, as he’s shown he can turn his hand to most thing. And it’s certainly true that an Armstrong biopic is long overdue.