Last week we mentioned that the Oscar-winning screenwriter of Milk, Dustin Lance Black, has signed up to write a biopic of FBI founder and long-time chief, J Edgar Hoover. However what we didn't know then but THR is now reporting, is that Clint Eastwood is eyeing it as his next movie.
He's teamed up with Ron Howard and Brian Grazer's Imagine Entertainment for the film, who've been developing the flick and set Black to write it. The film will cover the career of the FBI Director who co-founded the organisation in 1935 to help deal with the increasingly difficult battle against gangsters like John Dillinger. Hoowver remained the head of the bureau until his death in 1972.
While he revolutionised US law enforcement and became a legendary figure, he was also very controversial, harassing dissenters and using underhanded tactics against those who opposed his ideas, including building illegal files on senior politician that he could use against them. Many also suggest he was a closeted homosexual and cross dresser, and with Dustin Lance Black begin a passionate gay rights advocate, this may well be reflected in the film.
Eastwood is currently finishing work on the drama Hereafter, but it looks like he wants to make the Hoover biopic his next flick. As yet, the film hasn't found a studio (before Eastwood became involved it was set up at Universal, but they put the project into turnaround), although with Clint's close relationship with Warner Bros., it's likely to end up there.