Ralph Fiennes is set to star as racehorse trainer Henry Cecil in Unbeaten, directed by Nora Fingscheidt. He will also executive-produce the film. The Hollywood Reporter says the project is in advanced development, with filming planned for 2027.
Bash Doran wrote the screenplay. The story follows Cecil in his final years, his relationship with Jane and his partnership with Frankel. The horse won all fourteen of his races, ending with a victory in the Champion Stakes at Ascot.
StudioCanal is fully financing the film and handling worldwide sales. It also plans to release Unbeaten in territories including the United Kingdom, France, Germany, Italy, Poland, Benelux, Australia and New Zealand. House Productions and Escapade Pictures are involved, with Tessa Ross and Rory Aitken producing.
The project reunites Fiennes and Ross after Conclave. Fingscheidt previously directed The Outrun, while BBC Film and Access Entertainment are supporting development. Fiennes said Doran's screenplay introduced him to Cecil and moved him with the trainer's relationship with Frankel. A release date has not been set.