Universal has tapped Gary Ross to develop and direct the film. Ross won an Academy Award for his work on ‘Seabiscuit’ in 2003.
The NASCAR drama will focus on an up-and-coming driver who works his way into the circuit and develops a mentor/rival relationship with a veteran driver he grew up idolizing. The story is made more complex because the veteran racer's son drives for his father's team.
Ross said he developed the story after he became hooked on NASCAR when he spent time in Mississippi researching and writing ‘The Free State of Jones,’ a film about rebellion set in Mississippi during the Civil War and Reconstruction.
"You couldn't make this film without NASCAR, and getting them involved at the start provides an enormous canvas," Ross told Daily Variety. "I used blow-up dolls for crowd scenes in 'Seabiscuit,' but that won't be necessary in a sport where there are 150,000 fans in the stands every Sunday."
"The race scenes are only interesting if they reflect the tension and conflict that is occurring between the characters, and you can do a lot with emotions that are being played out at 200 mph," Ross said. "The other benefit of NASCAR is it's the rare sport that is conducive to a generational competition."
The last widely released Hollywood fictional drama based on NASCAR was 1990’s ‘Day Of Thunder’ starring Tom Cruise. In 2006, ‘Talladega Nights’ a NASCAR spoof starring Will Ferrell enjoyed widespread success.
No other details including a title and time frame for production have been released but Ross has said that intends to next direct "The Free State of Jones," for Univeral. He recently completed the animated "The Tale of Despereaux," which he wrote and produced with wife Allison Thomas. Universal debuts the film on Dec. 19.
Terence Winter, executive producer of the “Sopranos”, is writing the script.
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