Variety is reporting that Michael Mann’s Forward Pass are teaming to produce a biopic on automotive mogul Enzo Ferrari, whose family redefined the concept of the high-powered Italian sports car and almost single-handedly created Formula One racing.
Project, inspired by Brock Yates’ 1991 book “”Enzo Ferrari: The Man, the Cars, the Race, the Machine,”” has spent a decade in development. As far back as 1993, Mann intended to direct the film with Robert De Niro in the lead. Mann now plans only to produce the film, however. David Rayfiel (“”Sabrina””) is penning the latest draft. Ferrari’s ambition to build and race the world’s finest cars is an epic tale shaped by the forces of two world wars, the rise of fascism, family tragedies and a single-minded determination that pushed him to work seven days a week but left little room for personal relationships. Project also spent some time under development at Italian shingle Cecchi Gori. Spyglass principals Gary Barber and Roger Birnbaum, Mirage’s Sydney Pollack and Anthony Minghella, Mann and Gianni Nunnari will produce the film, with Cecchi Gori serving as executive producer.