Jerry Bruckheimer and Disney+ are reportedly combining to tell the story of the first woman to make the daring 21 mile swim across the English Channel.
Disney is reportedly looking to bring a number of former collaborators back into the fold to adapt Young Woman And The Sea.
It’ll be a drama based on Glenn Stout’s book that charts the fortunes of Gertrude ‘Trudy’ Ederle, the first woman to swim the English Channel.
According to Deadline, Ridley, who worked with Disney on the last trilogy of Star Wars films, is in negotiations to star, whilst Pirates Of The Caribbean producer Jerry Bruckheimer will take up a similar role. Bruckheimer bought the project to Disney.
Also returning to the fold for the film will be director Joachin Ronning as director, who previously helmed Pirates of the Caribbean; Dead Men Tell No Tales for Disney, and that film’s writer, Jeff Nathanson.
The film centres around ‘the daughter of a German butcher from Manhattan, Ederle was a competitive swimmer who won gold in the 1924 Olympics when she decided to attempt crossing the channel. She undertook the feat after first swimming 22 miles from Battery Park in New York to Sandy Hook, NJ, setting a record that stood for 81 years. She contracted with two newspapers and sold her story, thereby financing her quest. There was actually a race among women who would be first to cross as only five men had done so before.’
Nathanson is said to have become as taken with the story as he became with Frank Abagnale Jr’s memoirs, which ultimately led to him penning Catch Me If You Can (the film of which was directed by Steven Spielberg). The production team behind this one is hoping to have cameras rolling later in 2021. We’ll be sure to keep you posted when we hear more.
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