Lou Gehrig biopic in the works

An authorised biopic about iconic baseball player Lou Gehrig’s life is in the works.
The Luckiest Man on the Face of the Earth, based on Jonathan Eig’s biography Luckiest Man, will be directed by Jay Russell.
The title is inspired by a speech the American baseball great gave at Yankee Stadium following his retirement.
“Fans, for the past two weeks, you’ve been reading about a bad break,” he said. “Today I consider myself the luckiest man on the face of the earth. I have been in ballparks for 17 years and have never received anything but kindness and encouragement from you fans.”
The movie will centre on Gehrig’s career from 1932 to 1939 and his marriage to wife Eleanor. The sports icon passed away in 1941 of Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), which is also known as Lou Gehrig’s disease.
“Lou Gehrig is an iconic character, not just in baseball, but as a true American hero, a man who faced his intense, personal battles with quiet bravery,” Russell said. “While Gehrig’s story has previously been told in the beloved (film) Pride of the Yankees, this will be a new depiction with a more contemporary style and approach.”
Gehrig was previously portrayed by Gary Cooper in 1942’s Pride of the Yankees.
Casting will begin this month (Jun17).