(CNN) — Joe Paterno’s legacy may soon unfold on film.
Deadline Hollywood reports that a biopic of the late Penn State football coach is in the works, with Al Pacino attached to star as JoePa.
The beloved sports figure died in January at 85 following his exit from the football program in November 2011 amidst a child sexual abuse scandal.
The film, to be produced by Pacino’s manager, Rick Nicita, will be based on the best-selling biography from sportswriter Joe Posnanski, “Paterno.” Deadline suspects the film’s arc will include the controversy that led to Paterno’s dismissal, but notes that the movie would focus on much more than that.
As patterned after Posnanski’s book, the project is expected to highlight Paterno’s family, his pre-Penn State life as well as the impact he made at the university.
However, much needs to happen before the film could be viewed as a sure thing: No deal’s in place, there isn’t a script, and the project doesn’t yet have a director attached to helm.
CNN’s Carolyn Sung contributed to this report.
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