Christian Bale to Play Enzo Ferrari?

After the success of films like Rush and Senna (both essential viewing if you haven’t seen them already), it’s perhaps no surprise that studio executives have earmarked Enzo Ferrari as ripe material for their next high octane biopic. Interestingly, however, the actor in the title role may have just changed, as Christian Bale is now slated to play the man who gave us one of the world’s best supercar marques. Previously, it was rumoured that Robert DeNiro would be taking the title role.

So has Bale stolen DeNiro’s part in this high-budget biopic? Perhaps, but there’s also speculation that both may appear in the film. What we know so far is that it’s based on Brock Yates’ 1991 book “Enzo Ferrari: The Man, the Cars, and the Races”, and that it will be set in 1957, when Enzo was 59. We also know that it will be directed by Michael Mann, who has previously given us classic films such as ‘Heat’ and ‘Last of the Mohicans’.

Although Oscar winning Bale, who is perhaps best known for his role as Batman, but who also has a number of other distinguished and cult roles to his name, has been confirmed by magazine Deadline as the lead actor, there is speculation that DeNiro will appear in the same film, possibly as Ferrari at a later point in his life.

What is noteworthy is that the original rumours about DeNiro’s role stated that his film would also be based on Yates’ book, but that rather than being set in 1957, it would span the years from 1945 to the 1980s. This leaves us with the tantalising prospect that there may in fact be two rival films about Ferrari being produced, both with very fine actors. Whether we get one film or two remains to be seen, but we’re getting the popcorn ready in any case.