For quite a long time now Matt Bomer has been involved in developing a biopic of gay/bisexual actor Montgomery Clift (we first reported on it back in September 2013), however it’s always been clear that while there many thought it was a good idea – not least because of the resemblance between Bomer & Clift – getting the funding has been tough.

However now HBO, which has had huge success with gay-themed original movies such as Behind The Candelabra and The Normal Heart, has stepped in to help develop the project, according to THR.

Christopher Lovick wrote the initial script, but Love is Strange scribes Ira Sachs and Mauricio Zacharias have recently been asked to come in and work on the screenplay. It’s currently going by the simple title, Monty Clift.

In the late 40s and early 50s, Clift was on the path to becoming one of the biggest stars in the world. After The Heiress, Red River, A Place In The Sun, I Confess and From Here To Eternity, he was a true heart-throb with three Oscar nominations to his name. In many people’s opinion he was a talent on a par with James Dean and Marlon Brando – and all that by the age of 24.

However, Clift was also gay (or at least bisexual) at a time when homosexuality was illegal. He never really came to terms with his sexuality. He suffered from severe self-loathing throughout his adult life (as did many gay people back them) and became a severe alcoholic. In 1956, during the filming of Raintree County, he crashed his car while drunk which caused various injuries, including facial lacerations that meant he was never quite as good looking again. While he continued to work, with a prominent facial scar and alcohol quickly ageing him, his roles were limited and his days as a heart-throb were essentially over.

It’s believed the movie will look at much of his complicated life, but will concentrate on his relationship with Elizabeth Taylor, who became one of his closest friends after they starred in A Place In The Sun (it was while driving back from her house that he had his car crash). She was aware of his sexuality but later suggested it was difficult to truly help him, as he was so internally tormented.

The cable network’s involvement in the biopic is good news for Bomer, as back in July – around the time he was getting huge acclaim for his turn in The Normal Heart – he suggested that he thought the perfect home for the biopic would be HBO..

There isn’t a director currently attached, although as Ira Sachs is now co-writing, it wouldn’t be surprising if he ended up helming, even if it is a bit of a departure from the likes of Love Is Strange and Keep The Lights On.