Edward Berger’s Lance Armstrong Biopic, Starring Austin Butler, Starts Production in January

So, Edward Berger — how many projects does he have in development?

There's that violin-making film "Stradivarius" for Netflix. "The Barrier," with Austin Butler attached to star. There's also his film about Evan Gershkovich — the first American journalist detained in Russia on espionage charges since the Cold War — for Amazon/MGM. Berger is still attached to direct the next "Jason Bourne" movie, if they can somehow get the script right. And he's already shot "The Riders," starring Brad Pitt, for A24, which hits theaters next year.

That said, Berger seems to have settled on what comes after that. His Lance Armstrong biopic, starring Austin Butler, is now holding casting calls, with production eyed for January. Zach Baylin ("King Richard") is writing the script, and Scott Stuber and Nick Nesbit are producing.

Back in February, following a bidding war involving several major studios and streamers, Apple Original Films landed the rights. Berger's film is being described as a mix of "F1" and "The Wolf of Wall Street."

Stuber and Armstrong have been friends for some time. The producer insisted the film had to be fully transparent or it wouldn't move forward. After extensive discussions, Armstrong agreed.

Armstrong's story is nothing short of an American tragedy. He battled cancer, clawed his way back to professional cycling, and stunned the world by winning the Tour de France seven years running — titles he was later stripped of. After years of denial, he finally admitted to doping, a confession that completed his fall.

Hollywood has dipped its toes into Armstrong's saga before. In 2015, Stephen Frears directed "The Program," a biopic that didn't get the credit it deserved, anchored by a striking performance from Ben Foster, who played Armstrong firmly in the villain's corner. Armstrong himself had no involvement.

After his Netflix 2022 WWI epic “All Quiet on the Western Front,” which won four Oscars, the German-born Berger became one of the most sought-after directors in Hollywood. He followed that with the acclaimed papal drama “Conclave,” which earned eight Oscar nominations, including Best Picture, but last year, underwhelmed with his flawed gambling drama “Ballad of a Small Player.”