Lucille Ball, or at least parts of her life story, will return to the big screen. Cate Blanchett is attached to play the beloved comedienne in an authorized biopic, according to TheWrap. Screenwriter Aaron Sorkin is reportedly in talks to pen the script for Escape Artists.
The film will look at the marriage of Ball and Desi Arnaz, which began when they eloped in 1940 and ended in divorce 20 years later. During their marriage, they co-starred on the iconic and pioneering TV comedy series, I Love Lucy, as well as founded Desilu Productions, a television studio that Ball later went on to head alone. In doing so, she became the first woman to run a major TV production company.
Both Blanchett and Sorkin have had success with biopics in the past, making them each a great fit for the project. Blanchett won an Academy Award in 2005 for her portrayal of Katharine Hepburn in The Aviator, a film based on one of Howard Hughes’ biographies, while Sorkin won an Oscar of his own for writing The Social Network. It’s one of several biopics that the screenwriter has worked on. His most recent, Steve Jobs, comes to theaters on Oct. 9.
Blanchett will next appear in Carol, which is set for limited release in the United States on Nov. 20. Following the romantic drama, she’ll appear in Truth, yet another biopic. She most recently starred in Cinderella and has previously appeared in popular films like the Lord of the Rings series, Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull, and Elizabeth: The Golden Age, among others.
The Arnaz children, Lucie and Desi Jr., have authorized the biopic and are producing with Escape Artists. Jenna block will oversee the project’s development. No release date has yet been announced.
