A major biopic of Jesse Owens is long overdue, but hopefully now one is coming with the news that Attack The Block star John Boyega has signed up to play the legendary athlete, according to Variety.
Owens is best known for competing in the 1936 Olympics, when he went to Nazi Germany in the full face of Hitler’s Aryan ideas. The Fuhrer hoped the games would be a showcase of white superiority (indeed for a while he tried to prevent any non white or Jewish people from competing, but gave in after various countries threatened a boycott).
The African-American Owens ended up winning the 100m, the 200m, the long jump, and the 400m relay, setting three world records in the process.
Boyega made a big splash with Attack The Block, and since then has appeared in the likes of Half of a Yellow Sun. Stephen Hopkins is set to direct the biopic, which will start shooting in May. It even plans to film inside the real 1936 Berlin Olympic stadium, which will hopefully add an extra touch of authenticity.