The first man to land on the moon is getting his own biopic, and Whiplash director Damien Chazelle might helm it.
According to The Hollywood Reporter, who first reported the news, Chazelle is in talks to direct Universal’s biopic, titled First Man, about legendary astronaut Neil Armstrong. The Fifth Estate’s Josh Singer will write the script, which is based on the authorized biography First Man: A Life of Neil A. Armstrong by James R. Hansen, who is attached to coproduce.
Armstrong made history when he became the very first person to set foot on the moon in 1969. With half a billion people watching on television, his famous first words as he climbed down the ladder were, “That’s one small step for a man, one giant leap for mankind.” In 2012, Armstrong passed away at the age of 82.
The drama about the space legend will follow his journey from serving as a test pilot to becoming the first man to walk on the moon, all while enduring family tragedies and personal issues.
In 2013, the 29-year-old director debuted his short film, Whiplash, at Sundance and won the jury prize. The remade version later won the grand prize in France, and was picked up by Sony Pictures Classics. The film is due out in theaters October 10th.
If Chazelle does sign on to direct the astronaut biopic, it won’t be his next project. La La Land, a romantic musical (set in none other than Los Angeles) that stars Whiplash actor Miles Teller and Emma Watson, is expected to premiere sometime in 2015.
