Channing Tatum to play Evel Knievel in new film about the daredevil's life

Channing Tatum arrives at a special U.K. screening of "Magic Mike."

Credit: AP Photo/Joel Ryan

Channing Tatum is seriously Evel.

Coming off his starring turn in this summer's breakout success "Magic Mike," the newly-minted A-lister is in talks to star as Evel Knievel in a new biopic about the legendary stuntman's life, according to The Hollywood Reporter. The actor will also produce the film alongside his Iron Horse Entertainment partner Reid Carolin, with Carolin on board to adapt from Stuart Baker's 2008 biography "Life of Evel: Evel Knievel."

Knievel reached the height of his fame in the 1970s, becoming known for his daring (and often disastrous) attempts at performing extreme motorcycle jumps. A 1977 battery conviction marked the beginning of a downward slide for the performer, who was eventually forced to declare bankruptcy and would spend several years in relative obscurity before enjoying a career resurgence in the 1990s. He died in 2007 at the age of 69.

Tatum has been on a roll as of late; in addition to "Magic Mike," he scored hits this year with the romantic drama "The Vow" opposite Rachel McAdams and "21 Jump Street" co-starring Jonah Hill. He'll next be seen in director Steven Soderbergh's "The Bitter Pill" alongside Rooney Mara, Jude Law and Catherine Zeta-Jones, as well as the action sequel "G.I. Joe: Retaliation," which was recently booted from its Summer 2012 slot and pushed to March 29, 2013.

Is an Evel Knievel biopic something you're interested in seeing? Think Tatum is the right choice to play him? Sound off in the comments!

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