Bille August (The Color of Freedom) will be directing a movie on the life of Italian fashion icon Gianni Versace. Early reports indicate Italy’s Oberon Prods will be co-producing with Svensk Filmindustri. According to Variety, Versace will chronicle the designer’s rise to fame in the late 1970s and end with his murder in 1997.

Jesper Morthorst of Svensk Filmindustri said about the production, “It’ll be a biopic in the vein of Walk the Line. It will portray a genius fighting his own demons, and it will be uplifting and moving rather than dark and tragic. Versace struggled his whole life to find an inner peace and love.” Versace was born in Reggio di Calabria, Italy and debuted his first couture collection in 1989. He boasted Princess Diana, Tina Turner and Madonna among his high-profile clients.

ONSCREEN reported in February that shooting will begin before the year is over. IMDb categorizes the project as “in development“. With an estimated budget of $12 Million, casting is going on.

Bille August is a Palme dÓr winner for Pelle The Conquerer and The Best Intentions.