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Clint Eastwood may direct `The Ballad of Richard Jewell`
He was cleared as a suspect three months later and died in 2007 of a heart attack at the age of 44.
Los Angeles: Veteran actor Clint Eastwood might direct "The Ballad of Richard Jewell", a look at a security guard whose life gets turned upside down after media reports identified him as a possible suspect in the 1996 Atlanta Olympics bombing.
The film is currently set up at Disney/Fox and could reunite Eastwood with Alan Horn, the current Disney Studios chief who worked with the filmmaker when he was in charge of Warner Bros motion picture division.
Jonah Hill and Leonardo DiCaprio had originally been attached to star, but they will no longer appear in the movie. Their involvement will be limited to producing the film, reports variety.com.
Eastwood's involvement could change. He circled the project several years ago before opting to direct "Sully" with Tom Hanks. Director Ezra Edelman was last person to consider the project.
DiCaprio's business partners Jennifer Davisson Killoran, and Kevin Misher are also producing. "Captain Phillips" screenwriter Billy Ray is writing the script, which will be based on a Marie Brenner article in Vanity Fair.
Jewell reported on the knapsack bomb at the 1996 Summer Games and helped clear bystanders - only to find himself vilified and suspected of being involved in the terrorism plot.
He was cleared as a suspect three months later and died in 2007 of a heart attack at the age of 44.