StudioCanal and Working Title have launched the first photo of Ben Foster (Ain’t Them Body Saints) as disgraced former American hero Lance Armstrong in director Stephen Frears‘ upcoming Untitled Cycling Project.
Chris O’Dowd co-stars as Irish sports journalist David Walsh, with Guillaume Canet and Jesse Plemons also appearing in key supporting roles. Plemons is rumored to be playing one of Armstrong’s US Postal Service teammates and Canet a French rival, but their roles remain to be confirmed.
John Hodge, best known for his work with Danny Boyle, wrote the screenplay, basing it on the book ‘Seven Deadly Sins: My Pursuit of Lance Armstrong’ that real-life Walsh has written.
Filming only started on Friday, October 18th. Frears and the team should be shooting Cycling Project in France and in the UK for the next few months into the early spring. We can probably expect to see it next fall.
The story chronicles Armstrong’s long journey to ultimately expose the doping scandal that has dulled the image of the sport of cycling.
In addition to Frears’ take on the Armstrong’s life, Warner Bros. is continuing to prep its own biopic called Red Blooded American with Jay Roach and Bradley Cooper, and Paramount has one moving with Bad Robot, adapted from the book ‘Cycle of Lies: The Fall of Lance Armstrong’. Not to mention The Armstrong Lie documentary that will be getting a limited release starting November 8th, 2013.
Check out Foster as infamous pro-tour cyclist, wearing a distinctive yellow jersey in the Tour de France. Armstrong won the race an unprecedented seven times, in a row.
