Channing Tatum has been trying to make an Evel Knievel biopic for years and he may finally have a director. Darren Aronofsky is reportedly in talks with Sony to helm the project.
The news was first reported by Tracking-Board.com, which wrote that Aronofsky had already signed on to direct it. However, Variety reports that the two sides are only in early talks.
There was word back in July 2012 that Tatum was planning on making a Knievel biopic with Sony’s Columbia, although the project laid dormant until now. Tatum will produce the film under his Free Association banner with Reid Carolin, Michael De Luca and Dana Brunetti.
Carolin (Magic Mike) wrote the script, while Scott Silver (The Fighter, 8 Mile, The Finest Hours) did a rewrite.
Aronofsky remains best known for helming Black Swan, The Wrestler, Pi and Requiem for a Dream. He most recently directed Russell Crowe in the Biblical epic Noah. While the Knievel film will be set up at a major studio, it certainly won’t be in the same scale as Noah.
Knievel died in 2007, but is still a household name thanks to his death-defying motorcycle stunts. He was the subject of the 2014 documentary I Am Evel Knievel.