Austin Butler to play Lance Armstrong in film biopic from Oscar-winning director
The project has caused a bidding war among studios.
Elvis star Austin Butler has been cast as Lance Armstrong in an upcoming biopic depicting the rise and fall of the cyclist from Oscar-winning director Edward Berger.
Springsteen: Deliver Me from Nowhere producer Scott Stuber has acquired Armstrong's full life rights for the project, which will be directed by Conclave's Berger, who won an Academy Award for All Quiet on the Western Front, and written by Zach Baylin (King Richard).
Baylin, Josh Glick, and Zac Frognowski are on board as executive producers on the film, which, according to Deadline, is being offered to studios and has led to a bidding war, with multiple offers in from major studios.
Want to see this content?
We're not able to show you this content from Google reCAPTCHA. Please sign out of Contentpass to view this content.
It marks another collaboration between Butler and Berger, after it was revealed in 2024 that the pair were working together on time-travel thriller The Barrier.
Butler is best known for playing the starring role in the Elvis biopic, which earned him an Oscar nomination, and for performances in Masters of the Air, Once Upon A Time in Hollywood, and Dune: Part Two.
Before agreeing to "tell everything", the film's subject Armstrong reportedly held long discussions with Stuber , who has also spent time with people close to the former cyclist.
The film will cover the highs and lows of Armstrong's remarkable life and career.
The American rose to international stardom by winning seven straight Tour de France titles between 1998 and 2005 – all of which came after being diagnosed and recovering from stage three testicular cancer. He became a global symbol of hope in the battle against cancer, launching the Lance Armstrong Foundation (now known as Livestrong).
However, in a dramatic fall from grace, Armstrong was stripped of his titles and banned from cycling in 2012 after an investigation found he had used performance-enhancing drugs. He had denied cheating allegations for many years but admitted to doping in 2013.
Check out more of our Film coverage or visit our TV Guide and Streaming Guide to find out what's on. For more TV recommendations and reviews, listen to The Radio Times Podcast.
Authors
