Hugh Jackman likely to play Ferrari founder Enzo Ferrari in his biopic: Report

Hollywood star Hugh Jackman is reportedly in talks to be to play iconic Ferrari chief Enzo Ferrari in an upcoming movie about the Italian’s life. The X-Men star could be cast as the lead in the movie based on the book, Enzo Ferrari – The Man and The Machine by Brock Yates. Reports suggest that Hugh Jackman is the favourite for the role, and shooting will begin next spring. The movie will be directed by Michael Mann, who also was the man behind Ali. 

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Hugh Jackman reportedly in talks to be cast as F1 legend in Enzo Ferrari biopic

According to Formula1.com, Hugh Jackman is in talks to portray Enzo Ferrari in a film which will focus on the Italian company’s turbulent year in 1957. The year 1957 saw the F1 giants slip into financial disaster, while its founder came under attack from the Vatican after a frightful crash involving one of his cars at that year’s Mille Miglia road race, which resulted in the death of Alfonso de Portago. Furthermore, Enzo Ferrari's son Dino passed away at the age of 24 due to muscular dystrophy. Should Hugh Jackman be cast as the F1 legend, he will become the first non-Italian to play Enzo Ferrari in a movie. Italian actor Sergio Castellitto played the role in the 2003 Enzo Ferrari biopic, while Augusto Dallara played him in a small cameo in Ron Howard’s  2013 movie, Rush. 

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According to reports, director Michael Mann is keen on bringing Hugh Jackman on board since this is a project he has been working on for the better part of two decades. Speaking to Deadline, Mann said that the real power of the story is the emotionally charged lives of these people in complex and extreme circumstances. He added that the story has the explosive power and the lethal beauty of racing, making it a great drama at its core.

Mann is no stranger to working on a motorsports movie, having served as an executive producer for the 2019 blockbuster Ford vs Ferrari. The movie is based on Ford's successful defeat of Ferrari at the 1966 Le Mans 24 Hours, with Christian Bale and Matt Damon essaying the roles of the lead characters. Hugh Jackman has essayed roles in two sports dramas in the past, namely Real Steel in 2011 and Eddie The Eagle in 2016. While Hugh Jackman acted as a former boxer in Real Steel, he played the role of Tarron Egerton's coach in Eddie The Eagle. 

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(Image Courtesy: Hugh Jackman Instagram, ferrari.com)