Variety magazine have reported that Leonardo DiCaprio is in early talks with Paramount to produce a movie about the Rwandan cycling team. The movie is said to be focusing on Jonathan (Jock) Boyer, rather than the Rwandan cyclists themselves. Boyer became the first American cyclist to race in the Tour de France in 1981, and would later go on to move to Rwanda and manage the national team
Boyer was a team-mate of Sean Kelly’s on the Sem and Skil teams and finished 12th in the 1983 Tour de France. He was also famously chased down by compatriot Greg LeMond in the 1982 World Championships. He would later race for the 7-Eleven team after returning to the US.
The American fell from grace after his career, suffering financial ruin after some bad business decisions. In 2000, Boyer pleaded guilty to 10 counts of felony child molestation and was sentenced to a year in jail and five years probation.
He returned to bike racing later on and sought redemption by moving to Rwanda. Boyer started working with Team Rwanda, and the cyclists have gone on to compete around the world. The best-known Rwandan cyclist, Adrien Niyonshuti, represented the country in the 2012 Olympic mountain bike race. Niyonshuti, who lost six brothers in the 1994 genocide, now races with MTN-Qhubeka.
Di Caprio has teamed up with Michael Bay for the project. DiCaprio is producing the untitled project through his Warner Bros.-based Appian Way and Bay through his Bay Films. At this point, DiCaprio is not expected to star and Bay is not directing.
They already have a documentary. It’s called ‘Rise from the Ashes’ and its on Netflix.
They already have a documentary. It’s called ‘Rise from the Ashes’ and its on Netflix.