"Malice" screenwriter Jonas McCord has written a biopic of Ronald Reagan that will chronicle the 40th U.S. president's journey from boyhood to Hollywood to the White House, according to the Hollywood Reporter.
The film will be based on two best-selling biographies by Paul Kengor -- "The Crusader" and "God and Ronald Reagan -- both of which were optioned four years ago by marketing/development exec Mark Joseph, who will co-produce the $30 million feature with Ralph Winter (the "X-Men" and "Fantastic Four" franchises).
The script reportedly begins with the 1981 assassination attempt on Reagan's life, and proceeds to tell his story through flashbacks and flash-forwards.
While there is no director nor any actors attached to the project yet (let the casting game begin!), it remains scheduled for release late next year.
The producers are in the midst of obtaining a final round of funding, and are said to be considering two distribution offers. They've also created the production company Rawhide Pictures, which references the Secret Service code name assigned to Reagan.
Reagan's rise to power was previously dramatized in Showtime's controversial 2003 miniseries "The Reagans," which starred James Brolin and was less-than-reverential in its treatment of the former president.
