Getty ImagesDaniel Radcliffe is going for the gold…well, sort of.
The 24-year-old actor has just signed on to play Olympic runner Sebastian Coe, BBC Films confirms.
The upcoming movie, appropriately titled Gold, tells the story of Coe's world-famous rivalry between fellow athlete Steve Ovett in the years leading up to the 1980 Olympic Games in Moscow.
Driven hard by two competitive families, the world-record athletes captivated the country with their fierce battle to be No. 1 in the world.
Radcliffe's latest project proves once again that the Harry Potter star wants to grow even more as an actor.
Recently, Radcliffe described the roles he wants to take on as he moves forward in his career.
"I think now, the thing is, I don't just want to not repeat Harry Potter but I also don't want to repeat The Woman in Black or now Kill Your Darlings," he explained. "I think any actor that really enjoys what they do and wants to have a long career realizes that versatility and, you know, stretching yourself, it's more fun that way, to be honest."
Although casting for Ovett has not been finalized, director James Watkins hopes to begin shooting Gold in the U.K. and Russia around April 2014.