Jimi Hendrix isn’t the only well-known figure Anthony Mackie will bring back to life on the big screen. Mackie, who can currently be seen in the new Captain America flick (which is close to grossing $800 million at the box office, by the way) is developing a film about olympian Jesse Owens.
According to Deadline.com, Mackie will star as Owens. He will also produce along with his We Are Marshall writer Jamie Linden and manager, Jason Spire of Inspire Entertainment. The trio is looking to shop the script around to potential buyers soon.
The film will focus on the time leading up to the 1936 Olympic in Berlin where Owens took home four gold medals, while simultaneously crushing Hitler’s racial superiority theory. The Aryan dictator was so angry with Owens winning streak that he would only shake hands with German victors. He also left the arena during competitions involving Owens.
After the Olympics Owens chose to capitalize on commercial opportunities. He was later stripped of his status as an amateur competitor, effectively ending his track and field career.
Mackie’s adaptation is the first time that Owens story has been the subject of a major motion picture.
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