Christian Bale is gearing up for his role as an Italian auto mogul in the upcoming biopic, Enzo Ferrari. The film is based on the 1991 book, Enzo Ferrari: The Man, the Cars, the Races, the Machine, by Brock Yates. Paramount Pictures recently bought the distribution rights to this project, about the innovative and enormously ambitious Ferrari, who started out working as a racer and later as a developer for Alfa Romeo before moving on to establish his own company in 1947.

The book also delves into Ferrari’s turbulent personal life, including his unhappy but lifelong marriage and his numerous affairs. It sheds light on Ferrari’s tyrannical and manipulative personality and the way he pushed drivers to the limit, even to the point of death. The film is set in 1957, during a time when the auto icon was faced with brutal challenges and his company was struggling to survive.

Noomi Rapace (Prometheus; Sherlock Holmes: A Game of Shadows) is negotiating to play the intriguing role of Ferrari’s wife, Laura Dominica.

Directing the movie is accomplished filmmaker Michael Mann, whose memorable pictures include The Last of the Mohicans and Public Enemies. Mann is also producing in conjunction with the companies Vendian and YooZoo Bliss.

The screenplay was written by Troy Kennedy-Martin, best known for the 2003 Mark Wahlberg crime thriller The Italian Job. The late David Rayfiel (The Firm) also contributed to the script.

Enzo Ferrari is scheduled to begin shooting in Italy next summer.