Will Ryan Gosling play the first ever man on the moon? According to Deadline, Universal is eyeing the Canadian heartthrob as their potential Neil Armstrong in First Man, an in-development film about the famed astronaut's life.
First Man is based on author James Hansen's book, First Man: The Life Of Neil A. Armstrong, a fully authorized biography of the American icon.
"In a riveting narrative filled with revelations, Hansen vividly recreates Armstrong's career in flying, from his seventy-eight combat missions as a naval aviator flying over North Korea to his formative transatmospheric flights in the rocket-powered X-15 to his piloting Gemini VIII to the first-ever docking in space." Reads the book's official description.
Hansen interviewed Armstrong for over 50 hours and was also given exlusive access to private documents and family acquaintances.
The project is set to be helmed by Whiplash director and Hollywood up-and-comer Damien Chazelle. writer Josh Singer is penning the screenplay. Both names are currently hot properties in the Industry.
Whiplash earned the 30-year old Chazelle an academy award nomination for best adapted screenplay last year. Singer is enjoying similar buzz this awards season for Spotlight, which he wrote together with Tom McCarthy.
Chazelle and Gosling are already working together on La La Land, a musical comedy-drama that also features Whiplash star J.K. Simmons and frequent Gosling co-star Emma Stone.
No release window for First Man has yet to be announced.
For now, Gosling can next be seen in director Adam McKay's The Big Short, a film about the financial crisis of the late 2000's. Christian Bale, Steve Carell, Brad Pitt, Marisa Tomei and Melissa Leo will star alongside him.
Gosling has also signed on to star opposite Harrison Ford, in Denis Villeneuve's highly anticipated sequel to Blade Runner.
