Tom Hanks, Leonardo DiCaprio Developing Gorbachev Movie For HBO

Tom Hanks and Leonardo DiCaprio are developing a movie about Mikhail Gorbachev for HBO.

The actors are partnering with HBO Films to craft a biopic about the former Soviet President. Although Hanks and DiCaprio will help bring the story to the small screen, fans shouldn’t expect either one to step into the lead role.

Tom Hanks’ Playtone and DiCaprio’s Appian Way will produce the upcoming movie about Gorbachev. Former Hell on Wheels showrunner John Shiban will reportedly tackle scripting duties on the project. The 82-year-old former president will act as a consultant on the film.

Leonardo DiCaprio and Mikhail Gorbachev have worked together in the past. The pair previously teamed up for the documentary The 11th Hour. Gorbachev also presented the Great Gatsby star with an environmental award at the Cinema for Peace Gala in Berlin.

Gorbachev will also serve as a reunion of sorts for Tom Hanks and Leonard DiCaprio. The pair previously worked together on the Steven Spielberg movie Catch Me if You Can.

Not surprisingly, this isn’t the only movie about Mikhail Gorbachev that’s currently in the works in Hollywood. Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire director Mike Newell is also working on his own biopic about the former Soviet President.

Unlike the production spearheaded by Tom Hanks and Leonardo DiCaprio, Newell’s project won’t feature Gorbachev as a creative consultant.

Newell’s film, entitled Reykjavik, focuses strictly on the 1986 peace summit. Django Unchained co-star Christoph Waltz will portray Gorbachev while Michael Douglas will portray former US President Ronald Reagan. The film is currently in production.

The HBO Films’ Gorbachev biopic is reportedly in the very early stages of development. No casting information about the project has been released as of this writing. It’s also unclear who will direct the project when it’s ready to step in front of the camera.

Are you looking forward to the Mikhail Gorbachev movie being produced by Tom Hanks and Leonardo DiCaprio?