Disney Developing Jesse Owens Biopic

According to Variety, Disney is currently working on a biopic about track and field star Jesse Owens, based upon Jeremy Schaap's book TRIUMP. The film is currently untitled, with Oscar-winner David Seidler (THE KING'S SPEECH,) set to pen the script.

TRIUMPH takes place during the 1936 Olympics in Berlin, and "tells the story of how the son of an Alabama sharecropper shattered Adolf Hitler's myth of Aryan supremacy by winning a record four gold medals in the 100-meter dash, the 200-meter dash, the long jump and the 400-meter relay.

Hitler had insisted Jews and Blacks not be allowed to participate in the games, but relented when threatened with a boycott. He shook hands only with the German victors on the first day of competition and then skipped all further medal presentations."

As of now, no actor is attached to play Owens in the project.

For Variety's original report, click here.

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