Clint Eastwood Wants to Direct “Ballad Of Richard Jewell”

Clint Eastwood could be directing The Ballad Of Richard Jewell for Fox. 

The seasoned helmer is looking for her next project and has been circling one in particular – the film about the 1996 Atlanta Olympics’ security guard.

Richard Jewell went from hero to suspect during the 1996 Summer Games after he reported that he had discovered a backpack containing pipe bombs. Jewell sounded the alarm and helped clear the area of bystanders, but eventually, the bomb did go off, killing one and injuring dozens. Jewell found himself as the main suspect in a terrorist plot and though he was eventually cleared, he never truly recovered from the media frenzy.

Should Eastwood join the project, he’ll direct from a script penned by Billy Ray. Director Ezra Edelman was last to consider the project.

Eastwood’s last directed 2008’s Changeling.

Deadline was first to report the news