---
title: "Ryan Gosling to Play Neil Armstrong in New Biopic"
description: "“First Man” gets some star power."
date: "2016-12-31"
modified: "2017-01-05"
authors:
  - name: "Max Prince"
    link: "https://www.thedrive.com/authors/max-prince"
url: "https://www.thedrive.com/article/6745/ryan-gosling-to-play-neil-armstrong-in-new-biopic"
categories:
  - "News"
tags:
  - "First Man"
  - "movies"
  - "NASA"
  - "neil armstrong"
  - "Ryan Gosling"
  - "space"
---

# Ryan Gosling to Play Neil Armstrong in New Biopic

![](<https://www.thedrive.com/wp-content/uploads/images-by-url-td/content/archive-images/gettyimages-3240690.jpg>)
*\<em\>www.thedrive.com</em>*

Ryan Gosling will portray Neil Armstrong in an upcoming biopic, according to [multiple reports](<https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/ryan-gosling-star-la-la-land-directors-neil-armstrong-biopic-959742>). The film, tentatively titled *First Man*, is based on an [authorized biography](<https://www.simonandschuster.com/books/First-Man/James-R-Hansen/9781476727813>) of the same name, written by historian James Hansen and released in 2005. Damien Chazelle, who teamed up with Gosling on the Golden Globe-nominated musical *La La Land*, is set to direct.

Clint Eastwood and Warner Bros. originally chased an option for Hansen’s critically-acclaimed book, before Universal Studios obtained the film rights in 2008. *First Man* then dropped into development hell, until Chazelle’s name became attached in 2014, breathing new life into the project. Josh Singer, who won an Oscar for co-writing *Spotlight*, has been tapped to adapt Hansen’s book for the big screen.

![gettyimages-469335330.jpg](<https://www.thedrive.com/wp-content/uploads/content/archive-images/gettyimages-469335330.jpg>)
**Brad Barket/Getty**

The film is [said to be](<https://www.collectspace.com/news/news-092914a-neil-armstrong-movie-miniseries.html>) a “character study” focused on the heart of Armstrong’s aviation career, beginning with his time as a test pilot, then into the Gemini astronaut program and, eventually, his promotion to commander of Apollo 11. Which means there should be aircraft porn, and plenty of it. The X-15 and Gemini VIII will almost certainly get fair screen time; depending on how faithful Chazelle is to Hansen’s source material, we could see everything from the F-82 Twin Mustang, F9F Panther, and F-100 Super Saber to the F-104 Starfighter and Bell X-1B.

Gosling seems like a fine pick to play Armstrong, who died in 2012. The 36-year old has plenty of box office appeal, which should help put the non-NASA-loving butts in the seat. Fine by us. We’ll be keeping an eye on *First Man*, which should begin shooting next year, as it progresses.

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