It’s a case of “uh, yeah, duh!” casting this chilly Wednesday, as news comes that Matt Damon is set to star in a biopic of Robert F Kennedy.
He will take the lead in director Gary Ross’ drama, which is being adapted from Evan Thomas’ Kennedy biography His Life (we bet that title will be changed for the film) by screenwriter Steven Knight (of Dirty Pretty Things and Eastern Promises ).
Details are still light, but we know that Thomas’ book looked at both sides of Kennedy’s personality – the ‘Good Bobby’ and the ‘Bad Bobby’. A spirited man, he always tried to do right, but was heavily into conspiracy theories.
It’s considered a sympathetic and “fair-minded” portrayal of Kennedy’s life, which looks into the man’s early years and reveals behind-the-scenes goings-ons during the 1960 and 1968 presidential campaigns.
Director Ross is best known for writing Big way back when, and went the historical drama previously with 2003’s Seabiscuit , which was nominated for seven Oscars.
Emilio Estevez also directed a Kennedy-flavoured drama back in 2006 with Bobby .
Catch Damon in Invictus , out now.
Think Damon's, um, Bourne to play Bobby?